phylum Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun (linguistics) a large group of languages that are historically related
  2. noun (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes

WordNet

Phy"lum noun
Etymology
NL. See Phylon.
Wordforms
plural Phyla
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) One of the larger divisions of the animal kingdom; a branch; a grand division.

Webster 1913