# Looking for a word: Someone who loves children (but not sexually) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525 "2006-12-10T02:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/1 "2006-12-10T02:29:55Z")
Since “pedophile” has a sexual meaning, what word could be used? I’m looking for a non-hyphenated, single word. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/2 "2006-12-10T02:59:26Z")
I don’t think there is a general word for in English for someone who generally just loves (non-sexually) children, even non-related ones, since the context of “love” varies so much. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/3 "2006-12-10T08:24:17Z")
“mom”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/4 "2006-12-10T10:14:21Z")
[QUOTE=lawoot] “mom”? 😃 [/QUOTE] Parent was my thought. ---
**Author:** ![nectar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nectar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nectar)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/5 "2006-12-10T10:41:49Z")
[philoprogenitive](http://www.answers.com/topic/philoprogenitive) or [philoprogenitiveness](http://www.answers.com/topic/philoprogenitiveness) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/6 "2006-12-10T12:23:11Z")
“Likes kids” is, I think, probably the standard way of saying this. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/7 "2006-12-10T16:40:26Z")
I’m wondering if the word “pedophile” is itself a misnomer. Normally, the “-philia” suffix denotes something you have an affinity for, or a strong interest in, but NOT necessarily in a sexual way. For example, I’m definitely a _videophile_ and an _ailurophile_, but I have no desire to have sex with my DVDs or my cats. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/8 "2006-12-10T17:26:49Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] I’m wondering if the word “pedophile” is itself a misnomer. Normally, the “-philia” suffix denotes something you have an affinity for, or a strong interest in, but NOT necessarily in a sexual way. For example, I’m definitely a _videophile_ and an _ailurophile_, but I have no desire to have sex with my DVDs or my cats. [/QUOTE] True but it’s much too late to rescue “pedophile.” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-word-someone-who-loves-children-but-not-sexually/383525/9 "2006-12-11T00:46:03Z")
Boy scout leader,coach?