phalanges

From phalanx (n):

pha•lan•ges n.

pha•lanx n. [countable], pl. pha•lanx•es.

Militarya body of troops fighting in close formation.
a number of people united for a common purpose:a phalanx of her supporters at the trial.
a tightly, closely packed body of people, animals, or things:a phalanx of riot police.

pha•lanx n., pl. pha•lanx•es or, for 7, pha•lan•ges v.
n.

Ancient History(in ancient Greece) a group of heavily armed infantry formed in ranks and files close and deep, with shields joined and long spears overlapping.
Militaryany body of troops in close array.
a number of individuals, esp. persons united for a common purpose.
a compact or closely massed body of persons, animals, or things.
Military(cap.) a radar-controlled U.S. Navy 20mm Gatling-type gun deployed on ships as a last line of defense against antiship cruise missiles.
Sociology(in Fourierism) a group of about 1800 persons, living together and holding their property in common.
Anatomy, Zoology, Zoologyany of the bones of the fingers or toes. See diag. under skeleton.

v.i.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

phalanx /ˈfælæŋks/ n ( pl phalanxes, phalanges /fæˈlændʒiːz/)

an ancient Greek and Macedonian battle formation of hoplites presenting long spears from behind a wall of overlapping shields
any closely ranked unit or mass of people: the police formed a phalanx to protect the embassy
a number of people united for a common purpose
any of the bones of the fingers or toes
- a bundle of stamens, joined together by their stalks (filaments)
- a form of vegetative spread in which the advance is on a broad front, as in the common reed Compare guerrilla

Etymology: 16th Century: via Latin from Greek: infantry formation in close ranks, bone of finger or toe

'phalanges' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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Phalanges vs segments

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