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phalanges

[ fuh-lan-jeez ]
/ fəˈlæn dʒiz /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR phalanges ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a plural of phalanx.
plural of phalange.

Words related to phalanges

throng, horde, flock, multitude, army, grip, fist, palm, body, division, group, company, number, host, myriad, troop, drove, rout, cloud, brigade

Words nearby phalanges

phalangeal, phalangeal cell, phalangeal joint, phalangectomy, phalanger, phalanges, phalangist, phalansterian, phalansterianism, phalanstery, phalanx

Origin of phalanges

< Latin < Greek phálanges

Definition for phalanges (2 of 3)

phalange
[ fal-uh nj, fuh-lanj, fey-lanj ]
/ ˈfæl əndʒ, fəˈlændʒ, ˈfeɪ lændʒ /

noun, plural pha·lan·ges [fuh-lan-jeez] /fəˈlæn dʒiz/. Anatomy, Zoology.

a phalanx.

Origin of phalange

First recorded in 1550–60; back formation from phalanges

Definition for phalanges (3 of 3)

phalanx
[ fey-langks, fal-angks ]
/ ˈfeɪ læŋks, ˈfæl æŋks /

noun, plural pha·lanx·es or for 7, pha·lan·ges [fuh-lan-jeez] /fəˈlæn dʒiz/.

verb (used without object)

Printing. to arrange the distribution of work in a shop as evenly as possible.

Origin of phalanx

1545–55; < Latin < Greek phálanx military formation, bone of finger or toe, wooden roller
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for phalanges

British Dictionary definitions for phalanges (1 of 2)

phalange
/ (ˈfælændʒ) /

noun plural phalanges (fæˈlændʒiːz)

anatomy another name for phalanx (def. 5)

Word Origin for phalange

C16: via French, ultimately from Greek phalanx

British Dictionary definitions for phalanges (2 of 2)

phalanx
/ (ˈfælæŋks) /

noun plural phalanxes or phalanges (fæˈlændʒiːz)

an ancient Greek and Macedonian battle formation of hoplites presenting long spears from behind a wall of overlapping shields
any closely ranked unit or mass of peoplethe police formed a phalanx to protect the embassy
a number of people united for a common purpose
(in Fourierism) a group of approximately 1800 persons forming a commune in which all property is collectively owned
anatomy any of the bones of the fingers or toesRelated adjective: phalangeal
botany
  1. a bundle of stamens, joined together by their stalks (filaments)
  2. a form of vegetative spread in which the advance is on a broad front, as in the common reedCompare guerrilla

Word Origin for phalanx

C16: via Latin from Greek: infantry formation in close ranks, bone of finger or toe
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for phalanges

phalanx
[ fā′lăngks′, făl′ăngks′ ]

n. pl. pha•lanx•es

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.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for phalanges

phalanx
[ fā′lăngks′ ]

Plural phalanges (fə-lăn′jēz)

Any of the small bones of the fingers or toes in humans or the digits of many other vertebrates.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.