phalanx

Meanings

1. An ancient Greek and Macedonian military unit that consisted of several ranks and files (lines) of soldiers in close array with joined shields and long spears.
2. A Fourierite utopian community; a phalanstery.
3. A large group of people, animals or things, compact or closely massed, or tightly knit and united in common purpose.
4. One of the bones of the finger or toe.
5. A bundle of stamens, in diadelphous and polyadelphous flowers.

1. The brand name of a radar-controlled rapid fire 20mm Gatling-type machine gun, the Phalanx CIWS (pronounced see-wiz), deployed on U.S. Navy ships as a last line of defense against antiship cruise missiles.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin phalanx or Ancient Greek φάλαγξ (phálanx, “battle order, array”). Doublet of phalange, planch, plancha, planche, and plank.