Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,732,560,396 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

phalanx
(redirected from inherited reduced phalanx)

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
pha·lanx  (flngks, flngks)
n. pl. pha·lanx·es or pha·lan·ges (f-lnjz, f-)
1. A compact or close-knit body of people: "formed a solid phalanx in defense of the Constitution and Protestant religion" (G.M. Trevelyan).
2. A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, developed by Philip II of Macedon and used by Alexander the Great.
3. pl. phalanges Anatomy A bone of a finger or toe. Also called phalange.
4. See phalanstery.

[Latin phalanx, phalang-, from Greek.]

phalanx [ˈfælæŋks]
n pl phalanxes, phalanges [fæˈlændʒiːz]
1. (Military) an ancient Greek and Macedonian battle formation of hoplites presenting long spears from behind a wall of overlapping shields
2. any closely ranked unit or mass of people the police formed a phalanx to protect the embassy
3. a number of people united for a common purpose
4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in Fourierism) a group of approximately 1800 persons forming a commune in which all property is collectively owned
5. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) Anatomy any of the bones of the fingers or toes Related adj phalangeal
6. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) Botany
a.  a bundle of stamens, joined together by their stalks (filaments)
b.  a form of vegetative spread in which the advance is on a broad front, as in the common reed. Compare guerrilla
[via Latin from Greek: infantry formation in close ranks, bone of finger or toe]

phalanx  (flngks)
Plural phalanges (f-lnjz)
Any of the small bones of the fingers or toes in humans or the digits of many other vertebrates.

phalanx
an ancient military formation of serried ranks surrounded by shields; hence, any crowded mass of people or group united for a common purpose.
See also: Crowds
Phalanx a line or array of battle; a compact group of people or animals prepared for attack or defence; a body of persons or things drawn up together in a common purpose.
Examples: phalanx of cavaliers and dames, 1837; of elms, 1891; of Greeks, 1983; of infantry; of lawyers, 1817; of sheep, 1785; of soldiers, 1553; of migrating storks, 1733.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.phalanxphalanx - any of the bones of the fingers or toes
bone, os - rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
dactyl, digit - a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates
2.phalanx - any closely ranked crowd of people
crowd - a large number of things or people considered together; "a crowd of insects assembled around the flowers"
3.phalanx - a body of troops in close array
military force, military group, military unit, force - a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men"
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"

phalanx noun
Related words
adjective phalangeal
Translations
phalanx [ˈfælæŋks] N (phalanges (pl)) [fæˈlændʒiːz]falange f
phalanx
n pl <-es or phalanges>
(Anat) → Finger-/Zehenglied nt, → Phalanx f (spec)
(= body of people, troops)Phalanx f


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.