What does "phoenix" mean?
A mythological bird, said to be the only one of its kind, which lives for 500 years and then dies by burning to ashes on a pyre of its own making, ignited by the sun. It then arises anew from the ashes.
Phoenix
/ˈfiːnɪks/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mythological bird, said to be the only one of its kind, which lives for 500 years and then dies by burning to ashes on a pyre of its own making, ignited by the sun. It then arises anew from the ashes.
- Grammar: phoenix is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: big dipper, comeback symbol, constellation, deity.
- Useful contrasts: collapse, decline, mundane creature.
- Usage evidence: Phoenix is the capital of Arizona.
How to use "phoenix"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "phoenix" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "phoenix" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "phoenix" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "phoenix" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "phoenix" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "big dipper" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "phoenix", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mythological bird, said to be the only one of its kind, which lives for 500 years and then dies by burning to ashes on a pyre of its own making, ignited by the sun. It then arises anew from the ashes.
"burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood"
- 2 A German breed of long-tailed chicken.
- 3 a legendary Arabian bird said to periodically burn itself to death and emerge from the ashes as a new phoenix; according to most versions only one phoenix lived at a time and it renewed itself every 500 years wordnet
- 4 Anything that is reborn after apparently being destroyed. figuratively
"Astronomers believe planets might form in this dead star's disk, like the mythical Phoenix rising up out of the ashes."
- 5 A geometer moth of species Eulithis prunata.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A mythological Chinese chimerical bird whose physical body symbolizes the six celestial bodies; a fenghuang. Chinese
- 7 A white variety of grape of German origin used for winemaking.
- 8 A Greek silver coin used briefly from 1828 to 1832, divided into 100 lepta. historical
"The national currency, the phoenix, which had been established by Kapodistrias, was renamed after an ancient Greek coin, the drachma."
- 9 A marvelous person or thing. obsolete
"He may not be a phœnix of cleverness in your sense; his profession is different; but it would be all the better for you to talk a little on his subjects."
- 10 Alternative letter-case form of Phoenix (“A geometer moth of species Eulithis prunata.”). alt-of
Verb
- 1 To transfer assets from one company to another to dodge liability Australia
"Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association CEO John Winter said phoenixing has been "endemic" for decades."
Proper Noun
- 1 A mythical firebird; especially the sacred one from ancient Egyptian mythology.
- 2 A spring constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble the mythical bird. It lies north of Tucana.
- 3 A character in the Iliad and father of Adonis in Greek mythology or a different character in Greek mythology, brother of Europa and Cadmus. Greek
- 4 A place name:; A number of places in Turkey:; A port town of ancient Lycia, in modern Antalya Province, Turkey; modern Finike.
- 5 A place name:; A number of places in Turkey:; A town of ancient Caria, near modern-day Taşlıca Marmaris district, Muğla Province, Turkey.
Show 20 more definitions
- 6 A place name:; A number of places in Greece:; A port town of ancient Crete, in the modern municipality of Sfakia, Chania regional unit, Crete, Greece; modern Loutro.
- 7 A place name:; A number of places in Greece:; A port town of ancient Crete, in the modern municipality of Agios Vasileios, Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece; modern Foinikas.
- 8 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; The capital city of Arizona, and the county seat of Maricopa County.
"A man was arrested Saturday in College Park, Georgia, after he was accused of throwing a sex toy on to the court during the Dream’s 29 July game with the Golden State Valkyries, according to a police report. The report said he threw another sex toy during the Dream’s game on Friday against the Phoenix Mercury. […] Another man in Phoenix was arrested after police say he threw a sex toy in the crowd at a Mercury game on Tuesday."
- 9 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Putnam County, Georgia.
- 10 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A village in Thornton Township, Cook County, Illinois.
- 11 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.
- 12 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland.
- 13 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Houghton Township, Keweenaw County, Michigan.
- 14 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Yazoo County, Mississippi.
- 15 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A neighbourhood of Edison Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
- 16 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A neighborhood of Sayreville borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
- 17 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A village in Oswego County, New York.
- 18 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A city in Jackson County, Oregon.
- 19 A place name:; A number of places in Canada:; A community in Clearwater County, Alberta.
- 20 A place name:; A number of places in Canada:; A ghost town in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, British Columbia.
- 21 A place name:; A town north-west of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- 22 A nickname sometimes used for Japan after World War II.
- 23 A surname.
- 24 A male given name.
- 25 A female given name.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Phoenix is the capital of Arizona."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "phoenix"?
Common synonyms include: big dipper, comeback symbol, constellation, deity, demigod, firebird.
How do you use "phoenix" in a sentence?
Phoenix is the capital of Arizona.
How do you pronounce "phoenix"?
Pronounced /ˈfiːnɪks/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Old English and Old French fenix, from Medieval Latin phenix, from Latin phoenīx, from Ancient Greek φοῖνιξ (phoînix), from Egyptian b-n:nw*w-G31 (boinu, “grey heron”). Doublet of Bennu. The grey heron was venerated at Heliopolis and associated in Egypt with the cyclical renewal of life because the bird rises in flight at dawn and migrates back every year in the flood season to inhabit the Nile waters.
Etymology 2
From Latin phoenīx, from Ancient Greek φοῖνῐξ (phoînĭx), Φοῖνῐξ (Phoînĭx).