phallic

adjective

phal·​lic ˈfa-lik 

1

: of or relating to phallicism

a phallic cult

2

: of, relating to, or resembling a phallus

3

: relating to or being the stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory that follows the anal stage and during which a child becomes interested in his or her own sexual organs

phallically

ˈfa-li-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of phallic in a Sentence

The poem is filled with phallic imagery.

an ancient Greek phallic symbol representing fertility

Recent Examples on the Web

The rocks are very phallic, with fleshy tones and skin-like wrinkles. —Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 18 Mar. 2025

Something about the finger being phallic came from me talking to this guy. —Jack Dunn, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025

The close proximity of the two crab balls, coupled with the chef's decision to spread the accompanying sauce across the plate in a straight line, gave the dish an undeniably phallic resemblance that was not lost on u/Crosswayboy or his wife. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

The peak is known as the phallic stone of Kanaloa, Hawaiian god of the ocean. —Tom Bentley, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek phallikós "of or relating to a phallus," from phallós phallus + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for phallic

• alack
• gallic
• hallock
• malic
• malik
• salic
• sialic
• bimetallic
• nonmetallic
• brachycephalic
• intermetallic
• polymetallic

Medical Definition

phallic

adjective

phal·​lic ˈfal-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a penis

2

: of, relating to, or characterized by the stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory following the anal stage and during which a child becomes interested in his or her own sexual organs compare anal sense 2, genital sense 3, oral sense 3