phalanx的词源

英文词源

phalanx (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" (source of 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 (compare Spanish Falangist, member of a fascist organization founded in 1933).

来自中古法语phalange,来自拉丁语phalanx,方阵，队伍，步兵阵形，可能来自PIE*bhelg,柱子，板块，词源同balk,block.

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：phalanx 词源，phalanx 含义。