Francophily

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fondness for or admiration of French culture, language, customs, and people
2. An attraction to or appreciation of things French, including their arts, literature, and way of life
3. A preference for and liking of French civilization and its cultural contributions

Etymology: Francophily is a hybrid word. Its first element, "franco-", comes from Medieval Latin "Francus," the name of the Germanic Franks, whose name also gave us "France." The second element comes from ancient Greek "philia," meaning love or affection for something, which English uses in many words such as "bibliophile" and "anglophile." Joining a Latin-derived name to a Greek suffix is a common pattern in modern English, and the "-phily" ending is the noun form, while "francophile" names the person. The "franco-" prefix now appears in many coinages, such as "Franco-Prussian" and "Franco-American," where it means "French" or "involving France." Francophily therefore literally describes a love of France or of things French. The variant "francophilia" follows the same pattern with a Greek-derived noun ending, and both forms are used in English.

Synonyms: Francophilia

Antonyms: Francophobia