phoenix

noun

phoe·​nix ˈfē-niks How to pronounce phoenix (audio)
: a legendary bird which according to one account lived 500 years, burned itself to ashes on a pyre, and rose alive from the ashes to live another period
also : a person or thing likened to the phoenix
phoenixlike adjective

Examples of phoenix in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The golden rooster is an exception, having been reimagined in the style of a phoenix with flaming wings by the chief architect of the reconstruction, Philippe Villeneuve. Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 There also was one additional, spicy, visual ingredient for customers and staff to feast on — a mural of a blazing phoenix. Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 7 Jan. 2024 Best of all is the phoenix, its wings tipped with flames. David Phelan, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 In a symbol of resilience and renewal, a new golden rooster, reimagined as a phoenix with flaming feathers, was installed atop the spire in December, marking the cathedral’s rise from the ashes. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024 Things that burn can be built again, that the phoenix rises from the ashes. Liz Appel, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 Reporter Taylor Seely covers phoenix for The Arizona Republic / azcentral.com. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 8 Jan. 2024 While the rooster has long been a national emblem of France and a symbol of Christianity, this particular bird, which sports flame-like wings, is also meant to resemble a phoenix, signifying endurance in the wake of the devastating 2019 fire. Antonia Mufarech, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023 The rebuilding of great cities was itself a source of awe: the phoenix rising again and again from the ashes. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'phoenix.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fenix, from Old English, from Latin phoenix, from Greek phoinix

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phoenix was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near phoenix

Cite this Entry

“Phoenix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phoenix. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

phoenix

noun
phoe·​nix ˈfē-niks How to pronounce phoenix (audio)
: a legendary bird which was thought to live for 500 years, burn itself to death, and then rise newborn from the ashes

Geographical Definition

Phoenix

geographical name

Phoe·​nix ˈfē-niks How to pronounce Phoenix (audio)
city on the Salt River in Arizona population 1,445,632

Note: Phoenix is Arizona's capital and its most populous city.

Phoenician noun

More from Merriam-Webster on phoenix

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