phalanges
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
pha·lan·ges
(fə-lăn′jēz, fā-)n.
A plural of phalanx.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pha•lanx
(ˈfeɪ læŋks, ˈfæl æŋks)n., pl. pha•lanx•es for 1-6, pha•lan•ges (fəˈlæn dʒiz for 7.)
1. (in ancient Greece) a group of heavily armed infantry formed in ranks and files close and deep, with shields joined and long spears overlapping.
2. any body of troops in close array.
3. a number of persons united for a common purpose.
4. a compact or closely massed body of persons, animals, or things.
5. (in Fourierism) a group of about 1800 persons, living together and holding their property in common.
6. any of the bones of the fingers or toes.
[1545–55; < Latin < Greek phálanx military formation, bone of finger or toe, wooden roller]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
pha·lan·ges
(fə-lăn′jēz) The small bones of the fingers or toes in humans or the digits in other primates. See more at skeleton.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
phalanges
Finger and toe bones.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited