English Explanatory Dictionary

phlegmatic

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Not easily excited to action or passion; calm; sluggish.
  2. Generating, causing, or full of phlegm.
noun
  1. One who has a phlegmatic disposition.

Pronunciation

/flɛɡˈmætɪk/ en-us-phlegmatic.ogg

Word forms

phlegmatic more phlegmatic most phlegmatic phlegmatick phlegmaticke phlegmatique phlegmatics

Etymology

From Middle English fleumatik, flewmatik, flematik, fleumatyke, flewmatyk, from Old French fleumatique, from Latin phlegmaticus, from Ancient Greek φλεγματικός (phlegmatikós), from φλέγμα (phlégma), referring to the humour which ancient Hippocratic and later Galenic medicine associated with mildness, coldness, sluggishness, and indifference. Spelling later altered to resemble the word's Latin and Greek roots, with modern pronunciation following this new spelling.

Synonyms

apathetic cold-blooded phlegmish unflappable stoic adiaphroistic apathistical blasé blithe deaf cool shiftless dispassionate dull enervated gallionic halfhearted heartless impassive ineffervescible insouciant indifferent insensible jaded languid languorous Laodicean lethargic listless lackadaisical lotophagous lukewarm meh mopey nonchalant nonplussed otiose phlegmatic pococurante spiritless supine tepid torpid torpedinous unaroused uncaring unconcerned unenthusiastic unimpressible uninterested unlively unmoved untouched unzealous world-weary calm collected composed cool-headed equable

Related words

phlegm phlegmatically phlegmish phlegmy

Derived words

apophlegmatic leucophlegmatic sanguineophlegmatic unphlegmatic

Translations

Romanian: apos Romanian: apoasa Romanian: aposi Romanian: apoase
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