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
ˈfē-niks-ˌlīk How to pronounce phoenix (audio)
adjective

Examples of phoenix in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While this phoenix planet is a gas planet, others could be rocky or even hold life. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026 Still, the channel has always proven to be resilient — a veritable phoenix that keeps rising stronger and ever more creative after world-shattering events such as 9/11, the SARS outbreak and the 2008 world financial crisis. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 Atlanta's newest professional sports team now has a name, a phoenix and a date to take the field. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 The artwork is crafted in the shape of a phoenix, an immortal, mythological bird that dies in flames before being reborn from the ashes. — ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phoenix

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

Browse Nearby Words

Phoeniculus
phoenix
Phoenix
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phoenix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phoenix. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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

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

Phoenician
fē-ˈni-shən How to pronounce Phoenix (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on phoenix

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about phoenix

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