See Also: phlegmatic(medicine)
phlegmatic(dictionary)
phlegmatic(dictionary)

phlegmatic (iou)



phlegmatic adjective & noun. ME.
[Old French fleumatique (mod. flegmatique) from Latin phlegmaticus from Greek phlegmatikos, from phlegmat-, phlegma PHLEGM: see -IC.]
A. adjective.
a. Of the nature of phlegm; (of a disease etc.) characterized or caused by excess of phlegm. Formerly also (of the human body), having a predominance of phlegm in the constitution. Now rare or obsolete. ME.
b. Of the nature of water, as a principle of matter; rich in this and hence producing sputum when taken as food etc.; watery and insipid. E16-M18.
Having or showing the temperament formerly attributed to phlegm as a predominant bodily humour; not easily excited to feeling or action; dull, sluggish, apathetic; stolidly calm, self-possessed. L16.
B. noun. A phlegmatic person. rare. ME-E17.
phlegmatical adjective phlegmatic L16-L17.
phlegmatically adverb E19.
phlegmaticly adverb L17-E18.
phlegmaticness noun (rare) L16.
'phlegmatism noun phlegmatic character L18.