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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Around her stood people in T-shirts with the same illustration featured on the church’s bulletin that week: a phoenix representing Boyle Heights rising from the flames of a hellish warehouse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Humbled manager Leopold Aschenbrenner, whose surname means ash burner, probably will rise like a phoenix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The High Court decision ended the 152-year-old club but hopes were quickly raised that a phoenix club could be able to enter the second-tier Championship in 2026.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Theoretically, as a phoenix club, their ranking would change from first to last but with the fixtures already released it could be difficult to revise.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2025
He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit and Trent Rockets kept their names and their kits pretty similar, while Southern Brave traded their green and black for navy and red.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
In addition to serving coastal communities in Southern California, it also has customers in such growing population hubs as Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
It seemed no lead was safe during the Sparks’ matchup against the Mercury on Tuesday night before Phoenix rallied for a 94-87 win at the Galen Center, snapping its three-game losing streak.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Phillips 66’s 900-mile pipeline will carry gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from the Texas Panhandle to Phoenix and Los Angeles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Maybe if she knew she was welcome there, then we could all be together in Phoenix.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
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
Many of them were embroidered with golden dragons or phoenixes.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
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
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
"No, sir, nor to Phoenicis, either," answered Fancher.
From Rebels of the Red Planet by Charles Louis Fontenay
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
