Xenophile
/ˈzɛnəfaɪl/noun
A person who is strongly attracted to foreign peoples, cultures, or customs.
Did you know?The Greek root xenos, meaning “stranger” or “foreigner,” also inspired the name xenon—literally “the strange one”—because the gas was rare and unfamiliar when discovered.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰóstis
“A stranger, guest, or outsider connected by reciprocal obligation”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ξένος (xénos)
“A foreigner, stranger, guest, or host”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φίλος (phílos)
“Beloved, dear, loving, or friendly”
19th Century
English
xenophile
“A person attracted to foreign people or cultures, formed from Greek xenos and philos”
Modern English
English
xenophile
“Someone who admires or prefers foreign cultures, customs, or peoples”