phlegm English · revision 1318

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /flɛm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|fleume]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|fleume]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la-lat|phlegma]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|φλέγμα|tr=phlégma|t=flame, inflammation; a humour caused by heat]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''phlégein'' “to burn”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Spellings with ''ph-'' appear from the 16th century,^(OED 1989) and the modern form is attested by about 1660.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The cold, moist humour of the body (1373–1387).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In ancient and medieval medicine, phlegm was one of the four humours,^(AHD)^(Wiktionary) and an excess of it was thought to cause sluggishness and apathy,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) hence [[phlegmatic]].^(Etymonline) The word also meant mucus from the respiratory passages (before 1398).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989) From the 16th century it was used of a calm or sluggish temperament.^(Wiktionary)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1373 – the cold, moist humour.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1398 – mucus.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1486 – excess mucus discharged by coughing.^(OED 1989)

+ * about 1660 – the spelling ''phlegm''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Thick, sticky [[mucus]] produced in the throat and lungs, as during a cold.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(history)'' One of the four [[humor|alt=humours]] of ancient physiology, thought to be cold and moist and to cause sluggishness.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Sluggishness or apathy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Calm self-possession; [[composure]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[phlegmy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[phlegmatic]]

+ * [[flame]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''impassivity'' as a synonym of the sense “apathy”, and ''animation'' and ''concern'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}