-philia
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).
Origin of -philia
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use -philia in a sentence
Two female figures, Philia and Metrodora, stand clasping hands.
British Dictionary definitions for -philia
indicating a tendency towards: haemophilia
indicating an abnormal liking for: necrophilia
Origin of -philia
1Derived forms of -philia
- -philiac, n combining form
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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