Biophiles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who show a strong affinity for or love of life and living organisms
2. People who actively appreciate and promote biodiversity and ecological well-being
3. Enthusiasts who advocate for the respect and conservation of the natural world and its myriad life forms

Etymology: Biophiles is the plural of "biophile," and the surprising part is how recent the term is. Its roots are ancient Greek: "bios" meant "life" and "philia" meant "love" or "friendly affection," as in "philanthropy." The combination is a modern coinage, not something Greek writers ever used. The word that started the idea is "biophilia," which Erich Fromm used in his 1964 book "The Heart of Man" to describe a deep, instinctive attraction to life and living things, the opposite of what he called "necrophilia." Edward O. Wilson later popularised the concept in his 1984 book "Biophilia," where he argued that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature. The plural "biophiles" is a more recent derivation from that noun, used for people who embody this attraction.