Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#168837 06/23/07 10:28 AM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
S
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
S
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
If a '-phobe' fears something and a '-phile' loves it, what'd be the suffix for someone who merely dislikes it please?

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Though it's not a suffix, a misliker is one who dislikes


dalehileman
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
and, I suppose, a disliker is one who mislikes?!

-joe (I suffer from phobologophobia) friday

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Sugbad, wish I could help you, but I'm not knowledgeable enough; welcome, though!

phobologophobia Fear of shedding light on words?

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>phobologophobia Fear of shedding light on words?

wouldn't that be summat like photologophobia?

-joe (nothing to fear but fear itself) friday

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
S
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
S
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
Thanks all. I've been sent a link to a Suffix Dictionary but what I actually need would be the same thing in reverse, as it's much too big to sift through: one wouldn't flick through a normal dictionary, starting from A, to find out what the black-and-white stripy horse is called, eh?

By the way, I'm quite prepared to invent a word for it, if that's necessary. I've been pondering on this for some time - at one time I thought the suffix might be '-mach', but a) I can't remember why and b) I recall deciding that'd be wrong.

Someone better educated than I am (that'd be most people) tells me that I need to find someone well versed in Greek.... but I fear that Archaic Greek might be nearer the mark.

Thanks anyway

S the B

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
I've been pondering on this for some time - at one time I thought the suffix might be '-mach', but a) I can't remember why and b) I recall deciding that'd be wrong.

I know of no suffix -mach in English or Classical Greek. Some words end in -mach, as in in stomach (from Greek, via Latin, στομαχος (stomakhos) 'gullet' fr. στομα (stoma) 'mouth', you can see that the m belongs to the original word/root, and that -akhos is some kind of diminutive suffix), and there are some words that are compounds from Greek that come from an original makhē 'battle' (e.g., theomachy 'war of the gods' fr. Gk θεομαχια (theomakhia)).


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
S
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
S
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
Funny you should say that, zmjezhd, as I've been browsing the aforementioned Suffix Dictionary and have found this:

-MACHY n combining form -ES [Gk -machia, fr. mache battle,
fight <fr. machesthai to battle, fight) + -ia -y] : warfare : contest between or by means of (logomachy)

...which clearly has nothing to do with what I'm looking for. There's nothing for '-math', either, which came to mind after I read your post as a possible skew in my memory but which I thought possible.

Browsing further down I had cause to slap my forehead in annoyance when I came across:

MIS- or MISO- combining form Gk, fr. misein to hate + misos
hatred : hatred (misogynic) (misoneism) (misosophy)

...of course, misanthrope etc., maybe I should be looking for a prefix instead? But even with that we're still in Hatred territory, whereas I'm looking for mere dislike. I don't really hate very much: but there are loads of things which **** me off a bit!

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
S
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
S
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4
Note to self: when I edit my text I should read it over before pressing 'Submit'. Sorry about that.

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
I think the best suffix as an answer to your question is -phobe itself. While it may derive from a literal fear of something, in common use it also means simply an aversion or a dislike. Whether the user means to imply that the aversion is the result of an actual phobia -- the politically-charged term "homophobia" comes to mind -- is up to the user I guess. Applying -phobe to everyday objects seems a bit like overkill in any case. Is our current POTUS a broccoliphobe or does he simply not care for broccoli. As for myself, I am definitely an okraphobe. Indeed, I fear the okra.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,271
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 399 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,502
LukeJavan8 9,915
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5