By Eugenia Manolidou
In the vast cosmos of the Greek language, there’s this tiny but super ancient word, «Φιλῶ» (philó), that is all about love and friendship. It is not just about romantic love; it also covers the whole vibe of “philía” which embraces the idea of friendship and togetherness.
This little word, «φιλῶ» is the root of dozens of other words related to feelings, friendship, wisdom, language, knowledge, and so much more! Let’s explore a few…
Philosophy (φιλοσοφία pron. philosophía) is a combination of “philó” (to love) and “sophía” (wisdom). It’s basically the art of mixing the love for wisdom with the love for knowledge… and of course a Philosopher is someone who loves wisdom!
Almost every philosopher is also into philanthropy. That’s another word from φιλῶ and ἄνθρωπος (ánthropos: human). Philanthropists are like superheroes of humanity because they love humans. Philanthropy is a big deal in building civilizations.
Ever heard of philharmonic? It’s like a party where different instruments come together in harmony, making beautiful music. Then you have logophiles (lógos + philó) who just really enjoy words, and philologists (philó + lógos) who dive deep into the language and its evolution.
So, next time you see a word with philó in it, remember that it is a love word. From Philadelphia (the love of brothers), to Philip (the love of horses) and from philomathy (the love for knowledge) to technophiles (the love for technology), these “philo-words” are like signals of shared love and wisdom which break down language and cultural barriers.
They connect people from different times and places, making φιλῶ a four-letter word worth mentioning, repeating and loving.