phlegmatic

[ fleg-mat-ik ]
See synonyms for phlegmatic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish.

  2. self-possessed, calm, or composed.

  1. of the nature of or abounding in the humor phlegm.

Origin of phlegmatic

1
1300–50; <Late Latin phlegmaticus<Greek phlegmatikós pertaining to phlegm, equivalent to phlegmat- (stem of phlégmaphlegm) + -ikos-ic; replacing Middle English fleumatik<Middle French fleumatique<Late Latin, as above
  • Also phleg·mat·i·cal [fleg-mat-i-kuhl] /flɛgˈmæt ɪ kəl/ .

Other words for phlegmatic

Other words from phlegmatic

  • phleg·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • phleg·mat·i·cal·ness, phleg·mat·ic·ness, noun
  • un·phleg·mat·ic, adjective
  • un·phleg·mat·i·cal, adjective
  • un·phleg·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby phlegmatic

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How to use phlegmatic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for phlegmatic

phlegmatic

phlegmatical

/ (flɛɡˈmætɪk) /


adjective
  1. having a stolid or unemotional disposition

  2. not easily excited

Derived forms of phlegmatic

  • phlegmatically, adverb
  • phlegmaticalness or phlegmaticness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012