entomophile
|en-to-mo-phile|
🇺🇸
/ˌɛn.təˈmoʊ.faɪl/
🇬🇧
/ˌentəˈməʊ.faɪl/
insect-lover; insect-pollinated
Etymology
'entomophile' originates from New Latin (from Greek), specifically the Greek word 'entomon', where 'entomon' meant 'insect' and Greek 'philos' meant 'loving'.
'entomophile' developed via New Latin/Neo-Latin compounds combining Greek elements ('entomon' + 'philos'), entered scientific and literary English usage in the 19th–20th century and remained a specialized term in ecology and hobby contexts.
Initially, the parts meant 'insect' and 'loving' separately; over time the compound came to mean both 'a person who loves insects' and, in ecology, 'a plant adapted to insect pollination.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who loves, collects, or studies insects; an insect enthusiast.
As an entomophile, he spends weekends searching for rare beetles in the forest.
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Noun 2
a plant or flower that is pollinated by insects (i.e., adapted to attract insect pollinators).
Many wildflowers are entomophiles, relying on bees and butterflies for pollination.
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Last updated: 2025/08/27 11:09