neophilicadj.
/ˌnɪəˈfɪlɪk/, U.S. /ˌnioʊˈfɪlɪk/ Characterized by or relating to neophilia; (Zoology) (of an animal) seeking new food resources or exploring new territory. Cf. neophiliac adj.
ΚΠ
1966 R. Morris & D. Morris Men & Apes vii. 217 The neophobic urges keep the animal out of danger, while the neophilic urges prevent him from becoming too set in his ways.
1970 Q. Rev. Biol. 45 138/1 One fundamental difference between precocial and non-precocial animals is that the latter, having a more protracted infancy, are generally more exploratory or neophilic.
1989 Daily Tel. 14 Mar. 2/5 Miss Juliete Southwell..said polar bears were ‘neophilic’ animals, always seeking new hunting grounds, and were unsuitable for zoos.
1998 G. F. Miller in C. Crawford & D. L. Krebs Handbk. Evolutionary Psychol. iii. 116 Such neophilic mate choice may account for the creativity of male blackbirds, nightingales, sedge warblers, mockingbirds, parrots, and mynahs.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1966