phylum

noun

phy·​lum ˈfī-ləm 

plural phyla ˈfī-lə 

1

a

: a direct line of descent within a group

b

: a group that constitutes or has the unity of a phylum

specifically : a primary category in biological taxonomy especially of animals that ranks above the class and below the kingdom compare division sense 10

2

: a group of languages related more remotely than those of a family or stock

Examples of phylum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The majority of these alterations occurred within the phylum Bacillota — a gut bacteria group known for digestion and overall gut health. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, aren’t just one species, but a phylum that contains many hundreds of species, each specialized to different ecological niches found across the planet — some of them very extreme. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 3 July 2025

This microbial phylum, recently named Sysuimicrobiota (formerly CSP1-3), has since been detected in a variety of environments such as hydrothermal vents, temperate grassland soils, and alluvial aquifers. —New Atlas, 21 June 2025

After domain, kingdom and phylum, the next taxonomy subcategories are class, order, family, genus and species. —Eva Amsen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek phylon tribe, race — more at phyl-

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for phylum

• whilom
• xylem
• asylum

Kids Definition

phylum

noun

phy·​lum ˈfī-ləm 

plural phyla -lə 

: a group of animals or in some classifications plants sharing one or more major characteristics that set them apart from all other animals or plants and forming one of the main categories in biological classification that ranks above the class and below the kingdom compare division sense 8

Medical Definition

phylum

noun

phy·​lum ˈfī-ləm 

plural phyla -lə 

: a major group of animals or in some classifications plants sharing one or more fundamental characteristics that set them apart from all other animals and plants and forming a primary category of the animal or plant kingdom

the phylum Arthropoda