Akademik

Phalanges
The bones of the fingers by Aristotle in the 4th century B.C. (and since extended to the bones of the toes) because they were arrayed like Greek soldiers for battle. There are generally three phalanges (distal, middle, proximal) for each digit, except the thumbs and large toes. The singular of phalanges is phalanx.
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Plural of phalanx. [L.]

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n. (sing. phalanx)
the bones of the fingers and toes (digits). The first digit (thumb/big toe) has two phalanges. Each of the remaining digits has three phalanges.
• phalangeal adj.

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pha·lan·ges (fə-lanґjēz) plural of phalanx.

Medical dictionary. 2011.