IPA: /ˈθɜːrməfaɪl/
KK: /ˈθɜrməˌfaɪl/
A type of organism that grows well in high temperatures, often found in extreme environments.
Thermophiles are used in biotechnology because they can survive and function at temperatures that would kill most other organisms.
Thermophile is formed from "thermo-" (from Greek "thermos", meaning hot) and "-phile" (from Greek "philos", meaning loving). The word describes an organism that loves or thrives in hot environments.
Think of 'thermo-' meaning hot and '-phile' meaning loving — a thermophile is an organism that loves hot conditions.