Re: I can find "infracaninophile" on the web, and in web word-lists. However, Robert said he found his word "paging through a dictionary", and I can't find "infracaninophile" in any website for a published dictionary.

Could this be a word that's been coined, but has never made it into a recogized published-on-paper dictionary?

and re:

Re: Robert said he found his word "paging through a dictionary"

I wondered about the fact that infracaninophile is rarely in dictionaries. I'm actually not so sure infracaninophile is the word I saw. I think I would have remembered that one because of the roots. Wouldn't it be neat if it has a synonym?! It would almost be worth while to spend a few days (weeks?) looking through the dictionary! The dictionary I saw it in (I think) is at my parents' home. I'll at least look up infracaninophile to see if it is there.

Robert

I did look up infracaninophile in all the dictionaries at my parents' home. It wasn't there. That must mean I saw a different word or I was looking at a dictionary in a library somewhere (not likely). I bet there is another word with the same meaning.

By the way, considering the mixed pedigree of infracaninophile, I conclude that the underdog is a mutt!

Infra- is Latin and canine is Latin, but -phile is Greek. Someone who questioned the legitimacy of the word pointed this out to me! I think it would be interesting to discuss words that are built with roots from the different languages. Does this make the words "bogus" or is that a common occurrence?

Robert

words that are built with roots from the different languages. Does this make the words "bogus" or is that a common occurrence?

This is not uncommon in and of itself, e.g., television where the tele- is ultimately from the Greek and vision is from the Latin, but with the -phile, -phobe and -mania words you will generally not find it, hearing rather such things as ailurophile rather than felinophile for cat lover.

I think the term for words derived from diverse roots is "chimeric" but I could be wrong on that point. I don't know the canonical stance on them, but IMHO there's nothing wrong with the practice.