Sometimes Phoenix a mythical bird of great beauty fabled to live 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness, to burn itself on a funeral pyre, and to rise from its ashes in the freshness of youth and live through another cycle of years: often an emblem of immortality or of reborn idealism or hope.
(initial capital letter) a southern constellation between Hydrus and Sculptor.
a person or thing of peerless beauty or excellence; paragon.
a person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suffering calamity or apparent annihilation.
Classical Mythology.
the brother of Cadmus and Europa, and eponymous ancestor of the Phoenicians.
a son of Amyntor and Cleobule who became the foster father of Achilles and who fought with the Greek forces in the Trojan War.
a city in and the capital of Arizona, in the central part.
Military. a 13-foot (4-meter), 989-pound (445-kilogram) U.S. Navy air-to-air missile with radar guidance and a range of over 120 nautical miles.
a legendary Arabian bird said to set fire to itself and rise anew from the ashes every 500 years
a person or thing of surpassing beauty or quality
To “rise like a phoenix from the ashes” is to overcome a seemingly insurmountable setback.
First recorded before 900; from Latin, from Greek phoînix “a mythical bird, purple-red color,” Phoenician, “date palm”; replacing Middle English, Old English fēnix, from Medieval Latin; Latin as above
If you want to see a phoenix, simply locate a unicorn or a centaur, and then you'll be in the right neighborhood. A phoenix is a mythical bird known for rising from its ashes. Don't try that at home! Accordingly to ancient legend, the phoenix is a bird that cyclically burns to death and is reborn from its own ashes. For this reason, the phoenix often serves as a symbol of renewal and rebirth. The name of Phoenix, Arizona is a direct reference to this idea; Phoenix was built upon the ruins of a civilization that had collapsed long before, apparently due to drought.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That crucible reforged Griffin into a political phoenix.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
In 2012, Zheng'an local authorities rolled out an initiative called "return the phoenix to the nest", to encourage skilled migrant workers to return home and start businesses.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Humbled manager Leopold Aschenbrenner, whose surname means ash burner, probably will rise like a phoenix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Local businessman Robert Smethurst bought the club's assets and, with former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage joining the board, they were reformed as a phoenix club.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
“I just wanted to forget it,” Greene-Placentia told Phoenix New Times.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
Her account became public this week when she shared it with the Phoenix New Times, the city’s alternative newspaper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times she was "embarrassed" and "just wanted to forget", but felt compelled stand up for other victims.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“The single most important issue that I see, however, are older folks who get on GLP-1s,” said Nolan Fisher, a neck and back pain specialist at the Banner Health hospital system in Phoenix.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
With Uncle Jet in Phoenix, they could hang out!
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
You may know about dragons and phoenixes, but have you heard of the tarand, a reindeerlike animal who changes color at will?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Ma has won awards with his full body tattoos depicting swashbuckling outlaws and heroes from ancient Chinese literature, mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes and auspicious symbols such as koi fish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2019
Yeah definitely, phoenixes are a popular image to get.
From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2018
Judd said women's voices had been "squelched" in the past, but that they were emerging as "phoenixes".
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2018
Still, I could look at the pictures while the demon girl outlined the story about flying carpets and phoenixes and magical amulets and cranky old sand elves who lived on beaches.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Galaxies that appear near bright stars like Beta Phoenicis might be impossible for some observatories on Earth to see, but Euclid’s sharp eyes are able to resolve them.
From New York Times ● May 23, 2024
"No, sir, nor to Phoenicis, either," answered Fancher.
From Rebels of the Red Planet by Charles Louis Fontenay
For example, seven are seen to converge in Lacus Phoenicis, eight in Trivium Charontis, six in Lunae Lacus, and six in Ismenius Lacus.
From The Certainty of a Future Life in Mars by L. P. Gratacap
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