1. Plural of Phoebus; a poetic or mythological name for the sun or the sun god Apollo.
Usage: literary; archaic; often capitalized in classical contexts
2. Plural of phoebus; any of various birds of the genus Sayornis, small flycatchers found in North America.
Usage: ornithology; lowercase

Examples

• In classical poetry, the phoebuses were invoked as symbols of light and truth.
• The eastern phoebuses began their dawn chorus as the sun rose.
• Several phoebuses nested under the eaves of the old barn.
• Ancient writers often referred to multiple phoebuses in their mythological accounts.
• The black phoebuses are common summer residents throughout the region.