pha·ë·thon \ˈfāəthən, -ˌthän\noun Usage: capitalized Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, name of son of Helios : a genus (the type of the family Phaëthontidae) of tropical sea birds of the order Pelecaniformes — see tropic bird • pha·ë·thon·ic\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|thänik\orpha·ë·thon·tic\-ntik\adjective