Wondering about the definition of xenophilia? Keep reading to learn the meaning of xenophilia, see some examples, and get a better understanding of this travel glossary term!
What is Xenophilia?
Xenophilia is an attraction to or deep love of foreign peoples, foreign cultures, and customs. The opposite of xenophilia is xenophobia.
Xenophilia has also come to mean, in science fiction novels and the like, a human love for alien lifeforms or robots, but this is a less-relevant definition for travelers.
More on Xenophilia
“Xen-” comes from Greek xénos, which as an adjective means foreign or strange; as a noun, it means a foreigner or a stranger. It is also the origin of the word xenization.
“-philia” and “-phile” come from Greek philos, which means loving; “-philia” denotes a love or affection for the thing that precedes it (as in allophilia), and “-phile” indicates a person with a love or affinity towards the thing which precedes it (as in audiophile, an enthusiast of high-quality sound).
Related Reads:
- Ethnicity, Nationality, Race, Identity, Culture & Heritage (E.N.R.I.C.H.)
- That’s What Zhe Said: Mx-ing Up the Language of Gender
- What We Can Learn From an Indonesian Ethnicity That Recognizes Five Genders
- A Plea To Every Traveler: We Are All Ambassadors As We Travel
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