Dictionary.com

xerophilous

[ zi-rof-uh-luhs ]
/ zɪˈrɒf ə ləs /

adjective

Botany. growing in or adapted to dry, especially dry and hot, regions.
Zoology. living or flourishing in a dry environment.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?

American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Often it means something is impossible.
It’s another way to agree with someone.
It serves as an apology.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of xerophilous

First recorded in 1860–65; xero- + -philous

OTHER WORDS FROM xerophilous

xe·roph·i·ly, noun

Words nearby xerophilous

xerography, xeroma, xeromenia, xeromorphic, xerophagy, xerophilous, xerophthalmia, xerophyte, xeroradiograph, xeroradiography, xerosere
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for xerophilous

  • There is no cultivation on the plain, which is to a large extent covered with long sarpat grass and other xerophilous plants.

    Jungle Folk|Douglas Dewar

British Dictionary definitions for xerophilous

xerophilous
/ (zɪˈrɒfɪləs) /

adjective

(of plants or animals) adapted for growing or living in dry surroundings

Derived forms of xerophilous

xerophile (ˈzɪərəʊˌfaɪl), nounxerophily, noun
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