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oenophile

[ ee-nuh-fahyl ]
/ ˈi nəˌfaɪl /
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noun
a person who enjoys wines, usually as a connoisseur.

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Words For "Cheese Lover" And Other Passions

There are many -phile (or "lover") words out there. And if you don't love cheese maybe one of these other ones applies to you.

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Also oe·noph·i·list [ee-nof-uh-list]. /iˈnɒf ə lɪst/.

Origin of oenophile

1925–30; <French <Greek oîn(os) wine + -o--o- + French -phile-phile

OTHER WORDS FROM oenophile

oe·no·phil·i·a [ee-nuh-fil-ee-uh], /ˌi nəˈfɪl i ə/, nounoe·no·phil·ic, adjective

Words nearby oenophile

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT OENOPHILE

What does oenophile mean?

An oenophile is a person who greatly enjoys wine and knows a lot about it; a wine lover.

An oenophile is considered a connoisseur of wine, meaning they don’t just like it—they love it and know a lot about it. Less commonly, oenophile is spelled œnophile or enophile.

Example: Brian is a true oenophile—he belongs to a wine tasting group and keeps his cellar stocked.

Where does oenophile come from?

The first recorded use of oenophile in English comes from the 1860s (when it was often spelled œnophile, using the combined character œ). Earlier forms of the word were used in French, which derived the word from Greek. It is formed from the Greek root oînos, meaning “wine,” and the suffix -phile, which is used to form nouns that mean “lover of,” as in bibliophile (book lover).

An oenophile usually has quite a bit of knowledge about wines. They’ll probably know how wine is made, which region a certain wine originates from, the best wine to pair with a particular food, and even which kind of glass is best to use for a specific type of wine. Perhaps above all, an oenophile loves the taste of wine and all its complexities—which they love to discuss. Have a question about the difference between a cab and a pinot? Ask an oenophile!

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms of oenophile?

  • oenophilia (noun)
  • oenophilic (adjective)
  • oenophilist (noun)
  • œnophile (alternate spelling)
  • enophile (alternate spelling)

What are some synonyms for oenophile?

  • wine lover

What are some words that share a root or word element with oenophile

What are some words that often get used in discussing oenophile?

How is oenophile used in real life?

Those who use the word oenophile are likely to be oenophiles themselves, which is evident from the way that they talk about wines and their different flavors and origins.

 

Try using oenophile!

Which of the following words is not related to oenophile?

A. winebibber
B.
connoisseur
C. barophile
D. winemaker

How to use oenophile in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oenophile

oenophile
/ (ˈiːnəˌfaɪl) /

noun
a lover or connoisseur of wines

Word Origin for oenophile

C20: from Greek oinos wine + -phile
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
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