-phil-

Look up phil-, -philia, -phile, or -philic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Suffixes with the common part -phil- (-phile, -philia, -phily, -philic) are used to specify some kind of attraction or affinity to something. They are antonymic to suffixes -phob-.

Phil- (philo-) may also be used as a prefix with a similar meaning.

The suffix and prefix are derived from the Ancient Greek word philia (φιλία), "love, affection".

Biology

Acidophilia, acidophile: Preference of acidic conditions. Antonym: Acidophobia, acidophobe
Alkaliphilia, alkaliphile: Preference of alkaline environments.
Anthophilia, anthophile, anthophilic: Attraction to flowers.
Anthrophile, anthrophilic: Attracted to humans (e.g., parasites).
Anemophily: A form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind.
Cryophilia, cryophilic, cryophile: Preference for cold environments, climates, objects and low temperatures; e.g., Protea cryophila (Snow Protea).
Dendrophilia, dendrophilic, dendrophile: Preference of trees or other plants.
Entomophilous: Adapted for pollination by insects.
Extremophilia, extremophile: Preference of living extremal conditions for some microorganisms.
Geophilia, geophilic, geophile Referring to organisms that prefer the soil.
Halophilia, halophile: Attraction to salt or salt-water.
Heliophilia, heliophile: Attraction to sunlight.
Hydrophilia: Attraction to water.
Hyperthermophilia, hyperthermophile, hyperthermophilic: Organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments.
Limnophilia, limnophile, limnophilic: Preference of ponds or marshes.
Lithophilia, lithophile, litophilic: Preference or affinity to stones.
Mesophilia, mesophile: Preference of moderate temperatures in microorganisms.
Microaerophilia, microaerophile, microaerophilic: Organisms that can tolerate or require environments containing low levels of oxygen.
Myrmecophilia: The names of orchids of genus myrmecophila, "love of ants"
Nemophilia: Love of the woods and forests, in the name of the genus Nemophilia of flowers.
Necrophilia necrophile: Attraction to the dead
Nyctophilia: An attraction to darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness. Preferring nighttime activities to daytime activities.
Ombrophilia, ombrophile: Affinity to large amounts of rainfall.
Petrophilia, petrophile, petrophilic: Preference of living or spending time in rocky areas.
Photophilia, photophile, photophilic: Preference of living or spending time in lighted conditions.
Pluviophilia, pluviophile, pluviophilic: Affinity to rain.
Psammophile, psammophyte: A plant loving sandy areas.
Psychrophilia, psychrophile: Preference of cold temperatures.
Rheophilia: Preference of living in running water.
Rhizophilia: Preference of living on roots.
Sciaphilia, skiaphilia: Preference of living in shady or dark areas (as opposed to photophilia).
Thermophilia: Love of high temperatures; thriving in high temperatures (e.g. microbes).
Tropophilia, tropophile, tropophilous: Preference of seasonal extremes of climate.
Vorarephilia: Sexual attraction to being eaten by or eating humans.
Xenophilia: An affection for unknown, foreign objects, or people. Antonym: Xenophobia.
Xerophilia: Love of living or spending time in very dry conditions.
Xylophilia: Love of wood.
Zoophily: A form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by animals.

Chemistry and physics

Chromophilous: Staining easily
Electrophile: A substance having an affinity for electrons or negative charge
Hydrophilic: (of a substance) having a tendency to interact with or be dissolved by water and other polar substances
Lipophilic: (of a substance) attracted to lipids, as in cell membranes.
Litophilic: (of a substance) In microfluidics, enriching on channel walls instead of in the middle of the channels. (e.g. air bubbles)
Nucleophile: A substance having an affinity for positive charge; antonym of electrophile.

Hobbies

Audiophilia: Love of high-fidelity sound reproduction
Arctophilia: Love of teddy bears; especially, an interest in collecting teddy bears
Bibliophilia: Love of books
Cartophilia: Love of maps
Cinephilia: Love of cinema and film
Philately: The study of stamps and postal history and other related items
Glossophilia: Love of languages
Icthyophilia: Love of fish
Logophilia: Love of words - Logophiles may be interested in word games, such as crosswords, or Scrabble, and in the extreme, derive enjoyment from reading things commonly given less notice, such as labels
Metrophilia: Love of the metro rail or subway systems
Neophilia: Love of the latest novelties and trends
Oenophilia: Love of wine
Ornithophilia: Love of birds
Taphophilia: Love of graves, cemeteries and funerals
Technophilia: Love of technology

National or ethnic

Anglophile: a non-English person who is extremely fond of all things English. Antonym: Anglophobe
Austrophile: a fan of Austrian culture.
Celtophile: a fan of Celtic culture.
Europhile: a person who wants to increase cooperation between governments within the European Union. Antonym: Eurosceptic
Fennophile: a fan of Finnish culture.
Francophile or Gallophile: a fan of French culture. Antonym: Francophobe
Germanophile or Teutophile: a fan of German culture. Antonym: Germanophobe or teutophobia
Hellenophile: a fan of Greek culture (i.e. someone prone to philhellenism)
Hibernophile: a lover of Ireland or Irish culture
Hispanophile: a lover of Spanish (Spain) culture(s) and people.
Indophile: a fan of India
Italophile a fan of Italy. Antonym: Italophobia.
Japanophile: a non-Japanese person with a strong interest in Japan or Japanese culture. Antonym: Japanophobe.
Judeophile: a lover of Jews or Jewish culture. Antonym: Judeophobe or antisemite.
Negrophilia: a term used in the 1920s and 30s for the interest in Europe for African and African-American culture
Russophilia: love of Russia and/or Russians. Antonym: Russophobe.
Sinophile: a non-Chinese person with a strong interest in China or Chinese culture. Antonym: Sinophobe
Slavophile: a fan of Slavic culture.
Suecophile: someone with a great interest in the Swedish language and culture

Other

Biophilia hypothesis
Haemophilia: A disease relating to blood clotting
Homophile: A term used to refer to gay people or those who supported homosexuality, prior to gay liberation and other LGBT social movements.
Pluviophile: Love of the rain
Retrophilia: Love of things of the past
Theophilia: Love of a god

Prefix phil-

Philadelphia
Philanderer
Philanthropy
Philately
Philhellenism, the love of Greek culture (this may also be called hellenophilia)
Philology
Philomath
Philosophy
Phillumenism