Learn English – Word to describe someone who is a lover of bridges

single-word-requests

Is there a word to describe someone who loves or enjoys bridges (look at, go over, or appreciate engineering).

Something similar to the way oenophile means someone who loves wine.

Best Answer

The word is pontist.

1. A historic bridge enthusiast who enjoys either lobbying for preservation and/or who enjoys visiting and photographing historic bridges.
2. Anyone who enjoys working with or visiting/photographing bridges of any kind.

[Urbandictionary]

It also appears in one of the reviews of the book "Bridges of the World: Their Design and Construction" (By Charles S. Whitney):

A book to delight the heart and eye of a pontist whether he be an admirer and lover of bridges or a designed or builder..." -Saturday Review of Literature

It is coined from Latin pont-, stem of pons "bridge". (See: similar words)

Another example from the book "Historic Iron and Steel Bridges in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont" (By Glenn A. Knoblock):

This is a book intended for anyone who has an interest in bridges, whether they are a bridge enthusiast ( a "pontist"), civil engineer, native New Englander or someone from outside the region.

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