Bibliophile

Bibliophile

ˈbiblēəˌfīl

Noun

  • A person who collects or has a great love of books.

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Example Sentences

“Nancy considered herself both a writer and a bibliophile.”

“I’m a bibliophile, but I haven’t read nearly half of the books on my shelves.”

“The auction had a treat for bibliophiles: a rare first edition of ‘Robinson Crusoe.'”

Word Origin

Greek, early 19th century

Why this word?

If you would like to proclaim your love for something, follow this pattern: Use its Greek or Latin name + the suffix “-phile,” which comes from the Greek “philos” (“loving”). Some examples include “bibliophile” (a book lover), “ailurophile” (a cat lover), and “Anglophile” (a lover of England and English culture). The opposite would be to use the combining form “-phobe,” which comes from the Greek “phobos” (“fear”). These fearful words are mostly used in negative contexts, but the form has also been adopted for slang. Someone might talk about a commitment-phobe of a partner, for example. When you know your Latin and Greek suffixes, you can make your own terms to fit the situation. 

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