-phile

1. a combining form meaning “lover of,” “enthusiast for” that specified by the initial element:

   Anglophile;

   bibliophile;

   demophile.

-phile

combining form

1. indicating a person or thing having a fondness or preference for something specified

   Francophile

   bibliophile

Word History and Origins

Origin of -phile¹

From Latin -philus, -phila, from Greek -philos “dear, beloved” (occurring in proper names). Compare French -phile

Word History and Origins

Origin of -phile¹

from Greek philos loving

Example Sentences

And lesser known craftsmen of American marches like Philip Phile and Francis Scala get an overdue salute.

From Washington Post

There’ll be no ballet or theatre, or indeed nightclubs or parties, for the foreseeable, so it’s the perfect time to get ahead with sticking it to anyone who you reckon phobes something you phile or philes things in a way that’s wrong.

From The Guardian

Always a huge "X Phile", I've always viewed Chris Carter as a hit-or-miss writer.

From New York Times

Phaeton,” a retelling of the Greek myth by Michael Milligan, opens April 29, with Kyd directing, longtime local dance instructor Kelly King providing choreography, and Gilbert starring as Phile.

From Washington Post

In the first, a demonic pedo­phile named Balthazar Bowen, self-slaughtered, gleefully recounts his attempt to destroy the life of the boy who, years before in Ireland, blew the whistle on his abuse.

From New York Times

Words That Use -phile

What does -phile mean?

The combining form -phile is used like a suffix meaning “lover of” or “enthusiast of.” It is often used in scientific and everyday terms, especially in biology and psychology.

The form -phile comes from Greek -philos, meaning “dear, beloved.” The Latin translation, cārus, is the source of words such as caress, charity, and cherish.

What are variants of -phile?

In some rare instances in scientific terms, -phile drops its final -e- to become -phil, as in chromophil.

Related to -phile are two other combining forms: -philia and -philiac. Want to know more? Check out our Words that Use articles for each form.

Examples of -phile

An example of a word you may have encountered that features -phile is audiophile, “a person who is especially interested in high-fidelity sound reproduction.”

The audio- part of the word probably looks familiar; it has a variety of meanings, including “sound reproduction,” from Latin audīre, meaning “to hear.” The form -phile means “lover of,” so audiophile literally translates to “lover of hearing.”

What are some words that use the combining form -phile?

• atmophile
• bibliophile
• cinephile
• Europhile
• halophile
• homophile
• mesophile
• necrophile
• pedophile (using the equivalent form of -phile in Greek)

What are some other forms that -phile may be commonly confused with?

• -philia
• -philic
• -philous
• -phyll

Break it down!

The combining form biblio- means “book.” With this in mind, what kind of person is a bibliophile?