oxyphil, oxyphilic, oxyphilia, oxyphilous 1. Acid-loving, applied to certain white blood-corpuscles or other cells having an affinity for acid dyes. 2. In botany, living or thriving in acidic soil, acid loving. 3. Staining readily with acid dyes.oxyphilous, oxyphile, oxyphily In biology, thriving in an acidic environment.