phlegm
One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicineOne of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
» I have a lot of phlegm.
Meaning
4 senses(historical, uncountable, usually)One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
Phlegma
фле́гмаflégma
(uncountable, usually)Viscid mucus produced by the body, later especially mucus expelled from the bronchial passages by coughing.
Schleim, Nasenschleim, Popel
мокро́таmokróta, слизьslizʹ, фле́гмаflégma
мокроти́нняmokrotýnnja, мокро́таmokróta, харкоти́нняxarkotýnnja
(historical, uncountable, usually)A watery distillation, especially one obtained from plant matter; an aqueous solution.
(uncountable, usually)Calmness of temperament, composure; also seen negatively, sluggishness, indifference.
Gemütsruhe, Gleichmut, Trägheit
фле́гмаflégma, флегмати́чностьflegmatíčnostʹ
- expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness
- inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
- apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
Examples
6 sentencesI have a lot of phlegm.
My phlegm has blood in it.
Almost all the phlegm was removed by coughing alone.
What color was the phlegm that you coughed up?
I can't cough up the phlegm because it's too deep in my bronchi.
ruЯ не могу откашлять мокроту, потому что она слишком глубоко в моих бронхах.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 3
By meaning 3
Origin
From Middle English flewme, fleume, fleme, from Old French fleume, Middle French flemme (FFrom Middle English flewme, fleume, fleme, from Old French fleume, Middle French flemme (French flegme), and their source, Latin phlegma, from Ancient Greek φλέγμα (phlégma, “flame; inflammation; clammy humor in the body”), from φλέγειν (phlégein, “to burn”). Possible burning sensation when coughing up phlegm. Compare phlox, flagrant, flame, bleak (adjective), fulminate. Spelling later altered to resemble the word's Latin and Greek roots.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: phlegms| Singular | phlegm |
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uncountable
Synonyms
11 synonyms- expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness:sputum
- inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy:languorlethargysluggishnessflatness
- apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions:emotionlessnessimpassivityimpassivenessindifferencestolidityunemotionality
Word family
10 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable