Bile
/baɪl/noun
A bitter yellowish-green fluid produced by the liver that helps digest fats.
Did you know?In medieval and classical medicine, bile was part of the theory of the four humors, where excess yellow bile was believed to make a person hot-tempered and choleric.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷelh₂-
“to swell, be full of fluid”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*gallō
“gall, bile”
Old English
OE
gealla
“gall, bile; bitterness”
Old French
OF
bile
“bile, gall”
Middle English
English
bile
“bile; bitter fluid”
Modern English
English
bile
“a digestive fluid secreted by the liver”