phoenix

noun

phoe·​nix ˈfē-niks 

: 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 

adjective

Examples of phoenix in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are times to endure like the camel, times to dominate in your domain like the hippo, times to rise again like the phoenix, and times to wait patiently before striking like the lion. —Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the best leave-in conditioners for dry hair can revive tired strands and bring them back to life. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025

The key now is to listen to your soul and eliminate patterns that are toxic in nature and transform like a phoenix into a new version of you. —Kyle Thomas, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025

The American – who has unexpectedly found herself in the spotlight following a tense post-match exchange on Wednesday with Jelena Ostapenko – said that the design represented phoenixes, an important symbol for her. —Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025

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

Kids Definition

phoenix

noun

phoe·​nix ˈfē-niks 

: 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 

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 

noun