phalanx

Meaning

1. An ancient Greek and Macedonian military unit that consisted of several ranks and files (lines) of soldiers in close array with joined shields and long spears.
2. A Fourierite utopian community; a phalanstery.
3. A large group of people, animals or things, compact or closely massed, or tightly knit and united in common purpose.
4. One of the bones of the finger or toe.

Synonyms

phalange

column

block

battery

🔋

body

bracket

cluster

clutch

company

convoy

covey

family

👪

gathering

group

knuckle

nexus

outfit

section

set

squad

finger joint

column of troops

knucklejoint

discussion section

band

ossa digitorum manus

bank

🏦

battalion

Hyphenated as

pha‧lanx

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfeɪ.ˌlæŋks/

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin phalanx or Ancient Greek φάλαγξ (phálanx, “battle order, array”). Doublet of phalange, planch, plancha, planche, and plank.