Francophiliac

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A person who is fond of France, its people, language, or culture ; characterized by a strong liking for or admiration of France and things French
2. Someone with a deep affection for France and all things associated with it ; describing a fondness for the French nation and its customs
3. An individual who loves France and French culture ; relating to or expressing an enthusiastic appreciation of France

Etymology: "Francophiliac" is a back-formation or blend built on "Francophile," which itself was formed in the late 19th century from the French-derived "Franco-" and the Greek element "-philos," "loving." Its counterpart "Francophobe" follows the same pattern, and the noun "Francophile" is the older and more common of the two. The adjectival "francophiliac" is a much rarer creation, apparently modeled on "Anglophiliac" and similar coinages in which "-iac" is attached to a -phile stem to make an adjective, following the pattern of words like "Anglophiliac" and "Germanophiliac." The Greek root "philos" means "dear" or "beloved," and it has given English dozens of compounds such as "bibliophile" and "Anglophile." The "-iac" ending comes from the Greek adjectival suffix "-iakos," seen in words like "maniac" and "cardiac." Combining the two produces a word meaning, in effect, "having the character of a lover of France." Because it is so seldom used, dictionaries that record it often treat it as a nonstandard or humorous variant of the adjective "Francophile."

Synonyms: francophile

Antonyms: francophobe