1. In ancient Greece, a social or political subdivision of the population, often based on kinship or locality; a tribe or clan.
Usage: historical; chiefly used in classical studies and ancient Greek history
2. In biology and anthropology, a group of organisms or peoples sharing a common ancestry or origin; a phylum or ethnic group.
Usage: technical; less common in modern usage

Examples

• The Athenian phylon system organized citizens into ten tribes for political and military purposes.
• Ancient Greek society was divided into several phylons, each with its own religious and social functions.
• Scholars study the phylon structure to understand how ancient Athens maintained social order.
• The phylon served as the basic unit of citizenship in classical Greek city-states.