-philia
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a combining form used in the formation of compound words that have the general sense “love or liking” (ailurophilia,Anglophilia), “unnatural attraction” (coprophilia,necrophilia), “tendency” (biophilia,hemophilia,) in histology, “cell staining with a specific dye” (chromophilia,eosinophilia); also forming abstract nouns that correspond to adjectives ending in -philic or -philous or nouns ending in -phile (zoophilia,spasmophilia).
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for -philia
Two female figures, Philia and Metrodora, stand clasping hands.
British Dictionary definitions for -philia
-philia
n combining form
indicating a tendency towardshaemophilia
indicating an abnormal liking fornecrophilia
Derived forms of -philia
-philiac, n combining formWord Origin for -philia
from Greek philos loving
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for -philia
-philia
suff.
Tendency toward:hemophilia.
Abnormal attraction to:necrophilia.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.