Word of the Day - 01/02/26
phlegmatic
/flɛɡ'mætɪk/(adj.): showing little emotion
Despite the chaos around him, the phlegmatic manager remained calm and focused.
Word Origin
The word 'phlegmatic' originated in Late Middle English, derived from Old French 'flegmatique' and Late Latin 'phlegmaticus'. These terms ultimately trace back to the Greek word 'phlegmatikos', which comes from 'phlegma'. In ancient Greek medicine, 'phlegma' referred to 'phlegm', one of the four cardinal bodily humors. An excess of phlegm was traditionally associated with a calm, unexcitable, and sluggish temperament.
Words with similar origins, stemming from the theory of the four humors, include 'phlegm' itself, 'sanguine' (from blood), 'choleric' (from bile), and 'melancholy' (from black bile).