phyle

[ fahy-lee ]

noun,plural phy·lae [fahy-lee]. /ˈfaɪ li/.
  1. (in ancient Greece) a tribe or clan, based on supposed kinship.

Origin of phyle

1
1860–65; <Greek phȳlḗ, akin to phŷlonphylon

Other words from phyle

  • phylic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for phyle

phyle

/ (ˈfaɪlɪ) /


nounplural -lae (-liː)
  1. a tribe or clan of an ancient Greek people such as the Ionians

Origin of phyle

1
C19: from Greek phulē tribe, clan

Derived forms of phyle

  • phylic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012