acidophile

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noun

An organism that lives and thrives under acidic conditions; a form of extremophile.

Similar
acidophil
OriginAncient Greek φίλος (phílos) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰil-o-s ← English acid →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounacidophile (plural acidophiles)

plural acidophiles

  1. An organism that lives and thrives under acidic conditions; a form of extremophile.

    The presence of this and other closely related Thermoplasmales suggests that these acidophiles are important contributors to acid mine drainage and may substantially impact iron and sulfur cycles.

    2000, Edwards KJ, Bond PL, Gihring TM, Banfield JF, “An archaeal iron-oxidizing extreme acidophile important in acid mine drainage.”, in Science, 287(5459), pages 1796-1799, pmid:10710303
    1. A plant that thrives in relatively acid soil.

      Examples of acid vegetation include specific plant associations dominated by heath, sphagnum moss and many other acidophile plants.

      unknown - Unknown author. FORMATION OF PEATS: Type of Vegetation. Retrieved 2005-03-13

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan organism that thrives in a relatively acid environment

Similar
acidophil
Broader
bacteriabacterium
Also see
acidophil

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱéh₁yeti
  3. Proto-Italic*akēō
  4. Latinaceō
  5. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  6. Latinacidu
  7. Frenchacide
  8. Englishacid
  9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-o-s
  11. Ancient Greekφίλος (phílos)
  12. Englishacidophile

From acid + -o- + -phile.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish asidofiili
  • asidofiiliorganism that thrives under acidic conditions
Polish acydofil
  • acydofilorganism that thrives under acidic conditions
Portuguese acidófilo
  • acidófiloorganism that thrives under acidic conditions
Spanish acidófilo
  • acidófiloorganism that thrives under acidic conditions
Cite this entry
APA

acidophile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acidophile

MLA

“acidophile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acidophile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acidophile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acidophile.

Source: acidophile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.