US /ˈfaɪləm/ UK /ˈfaɪləm/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a principal taxonomic category ranking above class and below kingdom

    Insects and crustaceans belong to the phylum Arthropoda.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a principal taxonomic... divisiontaxongroup
Word family
Derived forms phyleticphyla
Related forms phylogenyphyle

Etymology

Modern Latin coinage in taxonomy, from Ancient Greek phulon ('race, stock, tribe, class'), related to phule ('clan, tribe') and phuein ('to bring forth, grow').

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