I need to know if there exists a word for a person who's obsessed with lights. The formation lights make etc.
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3I seriously doubt there's an existing standard term for such people, but it's got to be worth considering luciferian. I know Lucifer is generally considered The Lord of Darkness, but his sobriquet does derive from Latin light-bringer, and a lucifer is dated slang for a match, light. Me, I worship Dilbert's Phil, God of Insufficient Light, 'cos I think it's good to have a god with a lighter side. – FumbleFingers May 30 '15 at 17:29
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Lighting Designer – Christopher May 30 '15 at 17:46
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1There is photomania for the abnormal craving for light. – 0.. May 30 '15 at 17:53
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@Christopher: I think that might be what I've always called the gaffer. But I get confused when they start talking about best boy electric as opposed to best boy grip (not to mention key grip). – FumbleFingers May 30 '15 at 20:43
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No, but "Photophobia" is a term for a person who has a morbid fear of light. – 4-K May 30 '15 at 20:53
Personally, I just use photophile. People (especially those who are 'obsessed with lights') usually understand where I'm coming from. I describe a photophile as someone who is 'obsessed with' watts, lumens, efficacy, footcandles, the sun, bulbs, L.E.D.'s (different colors of L.E.D.'s), flashlights/headlamps, lanterns, light displays, refraction (see: prism) just to name a few genres. Someone may only identify with one, some, or all, but may still be a photophile.
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Not good. 'Photophile' already has an established definition that this cuts against. The one I guessed. ELU requires standard, not arbitrary, usages. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 15 '20 at 16:20
Well I don't know if there is a word in common use, but the common suffix for a 'lover of' is 'phile'. Some words have been brought into common use that may not have even existed previously. Ie. Japanophile - someone who has a love for all things Japanese.
Therefore using the Latin for light (Lux) you could maybe create a word like Luxophile or Lumophile, or even Photophile if photomania is a craving for light
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1Since the suffix phile is Greek, it doesn't make sense to use a Latin word like lux. Photophile would be appropriate, except that photo is such a commonly used word that photophile will probably be interpreted as a lover of photography. (Indeed that is the definition of photophile on Urban Dictionary). – mikeagg Jun 1 '15 at 12:44
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As mikeagg says, Greek roots are preferred in compounds that end in -philia or -phobia. That said, there are a number of established mixed compounds, such as claustrophobia. A more serious problem with luxophile is that it doesn't use the proper form of the root. Lux is the nominative form. When making a compound, you should remove the nominative suffix -s and use just the root luc- followed by a linking vowel. Latin roots usually use -i- and Greek roots usually use -o-. Since this would be mixed, you could use either. So something like luciphile would be better. – herisson Apr 16 '16 at 16:36
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'[Y]ou could maybe create a word like' is anathema on ELU, or indeed and SE site, where generally accepted and verifiable practices are required. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 15 '20 at 16:18