flewme

Middle English

Alternative forms

fleme, fleume, flemne, flewm

Etymology

From Old French fleume, from Latin phlegma, from Ancient Greek φλέγμα (phlégma). For the change of /ɛu̯/ to /ɛː/ before /m/, compare rewme.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈflɛu̯m(ə)/, /ˈflɛːm(ə)/

Noun

flewme (plural flewmes)

Phlegm as one of the four cardinal humours believed to influence health and mood.
Phlegm, sputum or a similar mucous substance; material coughed up.
A phlegmatic feeling or something that induces or causes it.

Related terms

Descendants

English: phlegm (dialectal fleam)
Scots: fleem

References

“fleume, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-09.

See also

humour
(four humours) flewme,‎ coler,‎ malencolie,‎ sanguine ^[edit]

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.