Phalanx

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

noun, plural phalanxes or for 7, phalanges
[fuh-lan-jeez] /fəˈlæn dʒiz/ (Show IPA)
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 individuals, especially persons united for a common purpose.
4.
a compact or closely massed body of persons, animals, or things.
5.
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.
6.
(in Fourierism) a group of about 1800 persons, living together and holding their property in common.
7.
Anatomy, Zoology. any of the bones of the fingers or toes.
verb (used without object)
8.
Printing. to arrange the distribution of work in a shop as evenly as possible.
/ˈfælæŋks/
noun (pl) phalanxes, phalanges (fæˈlændʒiːz)
1.
an ancient Greek and Macedonian battle formation of hoplites presenting long spears from behind a wall of overlapping shields
2.
any closely ranked unit or mass of people: the police formed a phalanx to protect the embassy
3.
a number of people united for a common purpose
4.
(in Fourierism) a group of approximately 1800 persons forming a commune in which all property is collectively owned
5.
(anatomy) any of the bones of the fingers or toes related adjective phalangeal
6.
(botany)

n.

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).

phalanx pha·lanx (fā’lāngks’, fāl’āngks’)
n. pl. pha·lanx·es or pha·lan·ges (fə-lān’jēz, fā-)
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.
phalanx
(fā’lāngks’)
Plural phalanges (fə-lān’jēz)
Any of the small bones of the fingers or toes in humans or the digits of many other vertebrates.