phalange

A child points to the phalange of his index finger.

Definition

1. Noun (Anatomy):

   • A bone of a finger or toe. In humans and many animals, each finger and toe (except the thumb and big toe) has three phalanges (proximal, middle, and distal), while the thumb and big toe have two.

2. Noun (Historical):

   • A phalanx: a body of heavily armed infantry in ancient Greece formed in close, deep ranks. This is an archaic or alternative spelling.

3. Noun (Botany):

   • A bundle of stamens united by their filaments, as seen in some plants like the pea family.

4. Noun (General):

   • A group or body of people organized for a common purpose, often with a sense of unity or military-like structure.

Usage Examples

• Anatomy:

  • The doctor examined the broken phalange in her index finger. (A bone in the finger.)
  • He fractured a phalange while playing basketball. (A bone in the toe.)

• Historical:

  • The Greek phalange was a formidable military formation. (A body of infantry.)

• Botany:

  • The flower's stamens are united into a single phalange. (A bundle of stamens.)

• General:

  • The political phalange marched together in protest. (A unified group of people.)

Advanced Usage

• "Phalange" is less common than "phalanx" for the historical and general meanings, but it is used interchangeably in some contexts, especially in older texts.
• In anatomy, the plural of "phalange" is phalanges /fəˈlændʒiːz/.
• The word derives from Greek phalanx (a line of battle), which came to refer to bones due to their arrangement in rows.

Variants and Related Words

• Phalanx (n): the more common spelling for the historical military formation and general group.

  • The phalanx advanced with spears lowered. (A military formation.)

• Phalangeal (adj): relating to a phalange or phalanges.

  • The phalangeal joint was swollen. (Pertaining to finger or toe bones.)

• Phalangette (n): a small or distal phalange, especially in animals.

Synonyms

• Bone: (for anatomy) a hard, rigid part of the skeleton.
• Formation: (for historical) an arranged group of soldiers.
• Group: (for general) a collection of people or things.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms using "phalange." However, the related word "phalanx" appears in phrases like:
  • "A phalanx of supporters": a dense, unified group of people.

    • A phalanx of journalists surrounded the celebrity. (A tightly packed group.)