biophilia
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of biophilia
1960–65; from New Latin: literally, “love of life” from bio- ( def. ) + -philia ( def. ); coined by Erich Fromm in The Heart of Man: Its Genius for Good and Evil (1964) to mean “love for humanity and nature, and independence and freedom”; extended by Edward O. Wilson in Biophilia (1984) to mean “the rich, natural pleasure that comes from being surrounded by living organisms.”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thus American society stands broadly convicted of necrophilia — as opposed to biophilia.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2024
One is the biophilia hypothesis, which posits that because we evolved surrounded by plants and greenery we have an innate affinity for them.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2020
I’m struck by how this zoo holiday helps fulfil what US naturalist EO Wilson called biophilia – our craving for a deep connection with other species.
From The Guardian • May 31, 2019
Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis, or the idea that humans are naturally inclined to seek out nature.
From New York Times • Feb. 28, 2019
A: It stems from biophilia, the desire to emotionally affiliate with nature.
From Washington Post • Nov. 23, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
