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-philism

  1. a combining form used to form abstract nouns corresponding to nouns ending in -phile:

    bibliophilism.



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Word History and Origins

Origin of -philism1

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When To Use

does -philism mean?

The combining form -philism is used like a suffix to indicate the abstract noun form of words that use the form -phile, meaning “love or liking,” "unnatural attraction," or "tendency." The form -philism roughly means "a liking, tendency, or attraction." It is used in scientific terms, albeit extremely rarely.The form -philism is made from a combination of two combining forms. The first is -phile, from Greek íDz, meaning "dear, beloved." The second form is the suffix -ism. The suffix -ism ultimately comes from Greek -ismos, an ending used to form nouns.While -philism doesn’t have any variants, it is related to several other combining forms: -phile, -philia, -philiac, -philic, -philous, and -phily. Want to know more? Check out our Words that Use articles for each form.

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Philip VIPhilistia