phalanx
pronunciation
How to pronounce phalanx in British English:
UK [ˈfælæŋks]
How to pronounce phalanx in American English:
US [ˈfeˌlæŋks, ˈfælˌæŋks]
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- Noun:
- any of the bones (or phalanges) of the fingers or toes
- any closely ranked crowd of people
- a body of troops in close array
Word Origin
- phalanx (n.)
- 1550s, "line of battle in close ranks," from Latin phalanx "compact body of heavily armed men in battle array," or directly from Greek phalanx (genitive phalangos) "line of battle, battle array," also "finger or toe bone," originally "round piece of wood, trunk, log," of unknown origin. Perhaps from PIE root *bhelg- "plank, beam" (source of Old English balca "balk;" see balk (n.)). The Macedonian phalanx consisted of 50 close files of 16 men each. In anatomy, originally the whole row of finger joints, which fit together like infantry in close order. Figurative sense of "number of persons banded together in a common cause" is attested from 1600 (compare Spanish Falangist, member of a fascist organization founded in 1933).
Example
- 1. Phalanx identifies and tracks the targets using electro-optical systems , measuring the range using radio frequency sensors .
- 2. Forensic anthropologist karen ramey burns , a specialist in the identification of human remains , examined the phalanx .
- 3. The laser would operate using the existing phalanx radar and command and control system .
- 4. Your father should have told you how our phalanx works .
- 5. It 's an open-air loft space with the four founders at desks in the middle of a phalanx of young men ( and one woman ) staring at screens .