First recorded in 1550–60; back formation from phalanges
phalanx
[fey-langks, fal-angks]
noun,pluralpha·lanx·esor for 7, pha·lan·ges[fuh-lan-jeez]/fəˈlæn dʒiz/.
(in ancient Greece) a group of heavily armed infantry formed in ranks and files close and deep, with shields joined and long spears overlapping.
any body of troops in close array.
a number of individuals, especially persons united for a common purpose.
a compact or closely massed body of persons, animals, or things.
Military. (initial capital letter)a radar-controlled U.S. Navy 20mm Gatling-type gun deployed on ships as a last line of defense against antiship cruise missiles.
(in Fourierism) a group of about 1800 persons, living together and holding their property in common.
Anatomy, Zoology. any of the bones of the fingers or toes.
verb (used without object)
Printing. to arrange the distribution of work in a shop as evenly as possible.
Origin of phalanx
1545–55; < Latin < Greekphálanx military formation, bone of finger or toe, wooden roller
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" (cf. 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 (cf. Spanish Falangist, member of a fascist organization founded in 1933).
phalange
n.
mid-15c., "phalanx, ancient military division," from Middle French phalange "phalanx" (13c.), from Latin phalangem (nominative phalanx); see phalanx. It is the earlier form of this word in English.
Any of the long bones of the fingers or toes, numbering 14 for each hand or foot: two for the thumb or big toe, and three each for the other four digits.
