Alloiophilia is a sexual orientation denoted by an attraction to the opposite sex. In other words, it is a synonym for the more commonly used word, heterosexuality.
Alloiophilia is a combination of the Greek words alloio, meaning “differ or dissimilarity,” and philia, meaning liking or love. Putting these words together, alloiophilia translates to a liking or love for people who are dissimilar, specifically in terms of gender.
People who are attracted to the opposite gender are most commonly called heterosexual or straight, but could also be classed as alloiophiles. Most people fall into this category, with around 97 percent of the population identifying as heterosexual.
The term is rarely used today, with most people preferring the word heterosexuality. However, this word may still be found in older reference books on topics about sexuality. The term alloiophilia may have fallen out of favor because philias concerning human relationships are often paraphilias, or kinks or sexual preferences that fall outside society’s norms. Unlike these paraphilias, like pedophilia and coprophilia, alloiophilia is the social norm.
