ailurophile means A person with ailurophilia; a cat-lover. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
ailurophile is pronounced /aɪˈljʊəɹəˌfaɪl/.
Why “ailurophile” is a great word
AILUROPHILE — [Noun] A person who loves cats; a cat fancier. From the Ancient Greek αἴλουρος (aílouros, "cat") and φίλος (phílos, "dear, beloved, loving"). Unlike an ailurophobe, who views the feline with dread, or the rarer felinophile, a synonym without the classical weight, the ailurophile is defined by a patient and attentive devotion. It is the instinct to slow one's pace for a stranger's cat sunning itself on a wall, the practiced skill of deciphering the slow blink from a windowsill, and the quiet concession of a favorite chair—a dignified acceptance of a compact sovereignty that asks for affection but never for permission.
noun
- A person with ailurophilia; a cat-lover.“He played the piano well, was an enthusiastic ailurophile, and persistently played solitaire while talking and writing.”