WORD FOR THE DAY: GALANTHOPHILE

Your word for today is: galanthophile, n.

galanthophile, n.

[‘A collector of or expert on snowdrops.’]

Pronunciation: Brit. /ɡəˈlanθə(ʊ)fʌɪl/,  U.S. /ɡəˈlænθəˌfaɪl/

Forms:  18– galanthophil,   19– galanthophile. 

Etymology: <  scientific Latin Galanthus, genus name of the snowdrop (1753; <  ancient Greek γάλα milk (see galactic adj.) + ἄνθοςflower: see anthos n.) + -o- connective + -phile comb. form.

 Chiefly Brit.

  A collector of or expert on snowdrops.

1892 Garden 2 July 17/1 It is proposed to name this new Chionodoxa C. Alleni, after the well-known Galanthophil of Shepton Mallet.

1919 Garden 22 Mar. 126/1 It [sc. Melville's large-flowered Snowdrop] was brought into prominence at the Snowdrop Conference of the Royal Horticultural Society, and has held its own in the estimation of the Galanthophile.

1961 Gardeners Chron. 9 Sept. 193/2 Galanthus ‘Merlin’ is one of the snowdrops most treasured by galanthophils.

1990 Independent (Nexis) 4 Feb. 42 Over special snowdrop lunches this month, he and some 10 to 20 other galanthophiles will inspect the latest blooms.

2009  M. Cox Big Gardens in Small Spaces v. 145 I've absolutely no idea what variety they are, and would probably need to call in a dedicated galanthophile equipped with magnifying glass and kneepads to help me identify them.

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