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.
Google rose like a phoenix from the dot-com’s ashes. — Sunil Sharan, Fortune, 27 May 2026 This time, however, Kehlani gives the record new life like a phoenix rising from the ashes while also saying goodbye to it. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 28 June 2026 Yet the Atlanta Paralympics mascot was dazzling, a glorious phoenix arising from its own ashes. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2026 Social media amplified the phoenix narrative of a dying shoe company reborn as an AI play. — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 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 7 Jul. 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 population 1,445,632

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

Nglish: Translation of phoenix for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about phoenix

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