A List of Philias or Love Obsessions
Layne is an active freelance writer. She enjoys staying up to date on trends, media, and emerging topics.
A long list of philias.
What Does "Philia" Mean?
"Philia" is an ancient Greek word that in translation means affection, love, or brotherly love. Philias are oftentimes likened to or described as obsessions (with the opposite of philias being phobias). A lover of books, for example, is a bibliophile. If used as an adjective, one might say "bibliophilic," or attach any "ly" to use the word as an adverb.
Oxford Languages describes "philia" as "denoting fondness, especially an abnormal love for a specified thing." If you have a love for something obscure, then explore this comprehensive list of love obsessions.
Anthopile, a lover of flowers
A
A love . . .
- Acousticophilia: of noise
- Acrophilia: of heights
- Algophilia: of pain
- Ailurophila: of cats
- Altophilia: of heights
- Ambulophila: of walking
- Anemophilia: of wind
- Anthophilia: of flowers
- Anthropophilia: of people
- Anuptophila: of being single
- Apiphilia: of bees
- Arachnephilia: of spiders
- Arithmophilia: of numbers
- Aurophilia: of gold
- Aviophilia: of flying
B
- Barophilia: of gravity
- Bibliophilia: of books
- Botanophilia: of plants
- Brontophilia: of lighting and thunder
Brontophile, lover of thunder and lightning
C
- Cainophilia: of newness and change
- Carnopihilia: of meat
- Cenophilia: of empty spaces
- Chorophilia: of dancing
- Chrometophilia: of money
- Chromatophilia: of colors
- Cleptophilia: of theft
- Coimetrophilia: of cemeteries
- Crystallophilia: of crystal and glass
- Cyberphilia: of computers
- Cyclophilia: of bicycles
- Cynophilia: of dogs
D
- Demophilia: of crowds
- Dendrophilia: of trees
- Dipsophilia: of drinking
- Dontophilia: of teeth
- Doxophilia: of opinions
Equinophile, a lover of horses
E
- Ecclesiophilia: of church
- Ecophilia: of home
- Eleutherophilia: of freedom
- Elurophilia: of cats
- Epistemophilia: of knowledge
- Equinophilia: of horses
- Ergophilia: of work
- Euphilia: of good things
F
- Felinophilia: of cats
- Francophilia: of all things French
G
- Geliophilia: of laughter
- Genuphilia: of knees
- Glossophilia: of language
- Graphophilia: of handwriting
Heliophile, a lover of the sun
H
- Hadephilia: of hell
- Hamartophilia: of sin
- Heliophilia: of the sun
- Hodophilia: of car trips
- Homichlophilia: of fog
- Hylophilia: of forests
- Hypsiphilia: of height
I
- Iatrophilia: of doctors
- Ichthyophilia: of fish
- Ideophilia: of ideas
- Isolophilia: of solitude
J
- Japanophilia: of all things Japanese
Kymophile, a lover of waves
K
- Kainophilia: of newness
- Kainotophilia: of change
- Kenophilia: of empty spaces
- Kleptophilia: of stealing
- Kymophilia: of waves
L
- Lachanophilia: of vegetables
- Lilapsophilia: of tornados and hurricanes
- Limnophilia: of lakes
- Logophilia: of words
- Lygophilia: of darkness
Logophile, a lover of words
M
- Mageirocophilia: of cooking
- Mechanophilia: of machines
- Megalophilia: of big things
- Melissophilia: of bees
- Metallophilia: of metal
- Metathesiophilia: of changes
- Meteorophilia: of meteors
- Microphilia: of small things
- Motorphilia: of vehicles
- MottephilIa: of moths
N
- Nephophilia: of clouds
- Numerophilia: of numbers
Nephophile, a lover of clouds
O
- Oenophilia: of wines
- Olfactophilia: of smells
- Ophidiophilia: of snakes
- Ophthalmophilia: of being looked at
- Ornithophilia: of birds
P
- Pediophilia: of dolls
- Phasmophilia: of ghosts
- Philemophilia: of kissing
- Philophilia: of being in love
- Philosophilia: of philosophy
- Philophilia: of philias
- Phronemophilia: of thinking
- Plutophilia: of wealth
- Pluviophilia: of rain
- Potamophilia: of rivers and water
- Pyrophilia: of fire
Pyrophile, a lover of fire
R
- Rhytophilia: of wrinkles
- Rupophilia: of dirt
S
- Samhainophilia: of Halloween
- Scolionophilia: of school
- Selachophilia: of sharks
- Selenophilia: of the moon
- Somnephilia: of sleep
- Sophophilia: of learning
- Stenophila: of new things
T
- Tachophilia: of speed
- Taphephilila: of graveyards
- Technophilia: of technology
- Thalassophilia: of the sea
- Thanatophilia: of death
- Theatrophilia: of theaters
- Theologophilia: of theology
U
- Uranophilia: of heaven
Tachopile, a lover of speed
V
- Verbophilia: of words
- Vestiphilia: of clothing
W
- Wiccophilia: of witches
X
- Xenoglossophilia: of foreign languages
- Xenophilia: of strangers, foreigners
- Xylophilia: of forests
Z
- Zoophilia: lover of animals
Wiccophile, a lover of witches
Sources
- Aleksandreia.com
- Alphadictionary.com
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2020 Laynie H
Comments
Laynie H (author) from Bend, Oregon on December 01, 2020:
Hi Lora, I'm definitely a dog and cat lover as well. I love your suggestion for researching the philia for makeup. Glad you enjoyed it!
Laynie H (author) from Bend, Oregon on December 01, 2020:
Hi Liz, I had a fun time researching philias. I could relate to the nature-oriented ones quite a bit!
Lora Hollings on November 22, 2020:
I never knew that there were this many obsessions. I guess to one degree or another, we all have some of these loves. I must be a lover of gravity, as I prefer to have my feet on the ground as I hate flying. I also have a passion for flowers, and I would qualify as a dog lover as I have 4 dogs and I’m also a cat lover and a lover of horses. I think there must be a philia for make-up as I see an awful lot of people who wear far too much of it! This is a fun and interesting article, Layne. Thanks for sharing.
Liz Westwood from UK on November 22, 2020:
This is a comprehensive list. I especially appreciate the explanation about its Greek roots.
