First Known Use: 1553
Dictionary
phalanx
noun pha·lanx \ˈfā-ˌlaŋ(k)s, British usually ˈfa-\
: a large group of people, animals, or things often placed close together
plural pha·lanx·es or pha·lan·ges \fə-ˈlan-(ˌ)jēz, fā-, ˈfā-ˌ, British usually fa-\
Full Definition of PHALANX
1
: a body of heavily armed infantry in ancient Greece formed in close deep ranks and files; broadly : a body of troops in close array
2
plural phalanges : one of the digital bones of the hand or foot of a vertebrate
3
plural usually phalanxes a : a massed arrangement of persons, animals, or things <a phalanx of armed guards> b : an organized body of persons <a phalanx of lawyers>
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Origin of PHALANX
Latin phalang-, phalanx, from Greek, battle line, digital bone, literally, log — more at balk
Rhymes with PHALANX
Medical Dictionary
phalanx
noun pha·lanx \ˈfā-ˌlaŋ(k)s, British usually ˈfal-ˌaŋ(k)s\
plural pha·lan·ges \fə-ˈlan-(ˌ)jēz, fā-, ˈfā-ˌ, British usually fal-ˈan-\
Medical Definition of PHALANX
: any of the digital bones of the hand or foot distal to the metacarpus or metatarsus of a vertebrate that in humans are three to each finger and toe with the exception of the thumb and big toe which have only two each
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