What does "phlegm" mean?
One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
Phlegm
/fliːm/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
- Grammar: phlegm is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: sputum, acedia, aloofness, apathy.
- Useful contrasts: sanguine, airway dryness, choler.
- Usage evidence: He's got some very British phlegm.
How to use "phlegm"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "phlegm" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "phlegm" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "phlegm" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "phlegm" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "phlegm" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sputum" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "phlegm", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus. historical, uncountable, usually
"Each person's unique mixture of these substances determines his temperament: a predominance of blood gives a sanguine temperament; a predominance of phlegm makes one phlegmatic; yellow bile, bilious (or choleric); and black bile, melancholic."
- 2 inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy wordnet
- 3 Viscid mucus produced by the body, later especially mucus expelled from the bronchial passages by coughing. uncountable, usually
"Even some members of the new bourgeoisie indulge in conspicuously boorish behavior, like hawking phlegm onto the pavement or picking their noses at business meetings."
- 4 expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness wordnet
- 5 A watery distillation, especially one obtained from plant matter; an aqueous solution. historical, uncountable, usually
"The attempts made to analyse vegetable substances previous to 1720, merely produced their resolution into the supposed elements of the chemists of those days, namely, salts, Earths, phlegm, and sulphur."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions wordnet
- 7 Calmness of temperament, composure; also seen negatively, sluggishness, indifference. uncountable, usually
"Orloff's phlegm broke completely, and he snatched at the monocle as it dropped[.]"
Example
"He's got some very British phlegm."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "phlegm"?
Common synonyms include: sputum, acedia, aloofness, apathy, ataraxia, ataraxy.
How do you use "phlegm" in a sentence?
He's got some very British phlegm.
How do you pronounce "phlegm"?
Pronounced /fliːm/.
Etymology
From Middle English flewme, fleume, fleme, from Old French fleume, Middle French flemme (French flegme), and their source, Latin phlegma, from Ancient Greek φλέγμα (phlégma, “flame; inflammation; clammy humor in the body”), from φλέγειν (phlégein, “to burn”). Possible burning sensation when coughing up phlegm, Compare phlox, flagrant, flame, bleak (adjective), fulminate. Spelling later altered to resemble the word's Latin and Greek roots. The regularly developed form /fliːm/ has been displaced by a pronunciation /flɛm/ of uncertain provenance. It may be inherited, though some kind of learned or spelling pronunciation or influence from phlegmatic is also conceivable.