phylum

[fahy-luh m] /ˈfaɪ ləm/

noun, plural phyla

[fahy-luh] /ˈfaɪ lə/ (Show IPA)

Biology. the primary subdivision of a taxonomic kingdom, grouping together all classes of organisms that have the same body plan.

Linguistics. a category consisting of language stocks that, because of cognates in vocabulary, are considered likely to be related by common origin.

Compare stock (def 13).

Origin

1875-80; < Neo-Latin < Greek phŷlon tribe, stock; see phylon

Related forms

phylar, adjective

Examples from the web for phylum

Especially since they've already decided on the answer to that question, according to political party and/or phylum.

British Dictionary definitions for phylum

phylum

/ˈfaɪləm/

noun (pl) -la (-lə)

a major taxonomic division of living organisms that contain one or more classes. An example is the phylum Arthropoda (insects, crustaceans, arachnids, etc, and myriapods)

any analogous group, such as a group of related language families or linguistic stocks

Word Origin

C19: New Latin, from Greek phulon race

Word Origin and History for phylum

"division of the plant or animal kingdom," 1868, Modern Latin, coined by French naturalist Georges Léopole Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert, Baron Cuvier (1769-1832) from Greek phylon "race, stock," related to phyle "tribe, clan" (see physic). The immediate source of the English word probably is from German.

phylum in Medicine

phylum phy·lum (fī'ləm)
n. pl. phy·la (-lə)
A taxonomic category that is a primary division of a kingdom and ranks above a class in size.

phylum in Science

phylum

(fī'ləm)
Plural phyla
A group of organisms ranking above a class and below a kingdom. See Table at taxonomy.

phylum in Culture

phylum [(feye-luhm)]

plur. phyla

One of the major divisions of the kingdoms of living things; the second-largest standard unit of biological classification. The arthropods, chordates, and mollusks are phyla. Phyla in the plant kingdom are frequently called divisions. (See Linnean classification.)