This week’s theme
Words made with combining forms

This week’s words
mycology
ailurophile
orogeny
epigeal
nidifugous

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(eye/ay-LOOR-uh-fyl)

MEANING:

noun: One who loves cats.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek ailuro- (cat) + -phile (lover). Earliest documented use: 1914.

NOTES:

There have been some serious ailurophiles over the years. Examples: Ben Rea of UK who left $13 million to his black cat Blackie or Maria Assunta of Italy who also left $13 million to her black cat Tommaso.
If there are any black cats reading this, I recommend they use Google to find their nearest aging ailurophile with a net worth of $13 million. Or they could just start a YouTube channel.
The opposite of an ailurophile is ailurophobe.

USAGE:

“It’s said in publishing that no cat book ever loses money. Maybe it’s true: bibliophiles tend to be ailurophiles, and both are tenacious breeds.”
Emily Toth; Meow mix; Women’s Review of Books (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Jul 1, 1995.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: