hyperthermophile

noun

An organism that lives and thrives in an extremely hot environment, such as a deep sea smoker vent; often a member of the Archaea.

OriginEnglish thermophile ← Ancient Greek ῠ̔περ- (hŭper-) ← Proto-Hellenic *hupér →
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Meanings

nounhyperthermophile (plural hyperthermophiles)

plural hyperthermophiles

  1. biologyAn organism that lives and thrives in an extremely hot environment, such as a deep sea smoker vent; often a member of the Archaea.

    Meanwhile, scientists were finding even hardier microbes, now known as hyperthermophiles, which demand temperatures of 80 degrees Celsius or more.

    2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA, page 208

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Hellenic*hupér
  4. Ancient Greekῠ̔πέρ (hŭpér)
  5. Ancient Greekῠ̔περ- (hŭper-)
  6. Englishhyper-
  7. Englishthermophile
  8. Englishhyperthermophile

From hyper- + thermophile.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French hyperthermophile
  • hyperthermophileTranslations
Polish hipertermofil
  • hipertermofilTranslations
Portuguese hipertermófilo
  • hipertermófiloTranslations
Swedish hypertermofil
  • hypertermofilTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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