Oenophile
/ˈiː.nə.faɪl/noun
A person who enjoys or is knowledgeable about wine.
Did you know?The word combines Greek oînos, “wine,” with phílos, “loving,” the same root behind philosophy and philanthropy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wóyh₁nom
“Wine; a reconstructed term associated with the ancient wine-trade vocabulary”
Ancient Greek
Greek
οἶνος (oînos)
“Wine”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φίλος (phílos)
“Loving, dear, or beloved”
Ancient Greek
Greek
οἰνόφιλος (oinóphilos)
“Wine-loving”
19th Century
French
œnophile
“A wine lover or wine enthusiast”
20th Century
English
oenophile
“A person who enjoys or is knowledgeable about wine”
Explore more surprising origins