Where does “phlegmatic” come from?
Phlegmatic comes from Old French fleumatique, from Latin phlegmaticus, from Ancient Greek φλεγματικός, derived from φλέγμα meaning inflammation or phlegm and the suffix -ικός.
phlegmatic (English): Not easily excited to action or passion; calm;...
Definitions
- Not easily excited to action or passion; calm;...
Ancestry of “phlegmatic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fleumatik | Phlegmatic; containing or made of the humour of phlegm |
| 2 | Old French | fleumatique | phlegmatic |
| 3 | Latin | phlegmāticus | full of phlegm |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | φλεγματικός | full of phlegm |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | φλέγμα | flame, fire, heat; inflammation; phlegm, a cold... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | φλέγω | I set on fire, burn, scorch; I kindle, arouse,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |