-phile

American  

Also -phil

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

   Anglophile;

   bibliophile;

   demophile.

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-phile British  

combining form

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

   bibliophile

   Francophile

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of -phile

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

Example Sentences

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

From Washington Post • Apr. 28, 2023

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 • Jan. 5, 2016

Joe: Phobe & Phile Sir: Your issue of Aug. 9 ... gives us another bizarre facet of the McCarthy-Cohn combination in "One Enchanted Evening" .

From Time Magazine Archive

Here are some excerpts from "The Conscience of a Hacker," by "The Mentor," from Phrack Volume One, Issue 7, Phile 3.

From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Sterling, Bruce

They paid visits to the sacred island of Ebo opposite the town, and to the quarries of Phile, four miles away.

From The Cat of Bubastes A Tale of Ancient Egypt by Weguelin, J. R. (John Reinhard)