Phlegm
/flɛm/noun
Mucus from the respiratory passages, especially when coughed up.
Did you know?In ancient Greek medicine, phlegm was not just mucus—it was one of the four bodily humors, tied to coldness, wetness, and the winter season.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
phlégma (φλέγμα)
“burning heat, inflammation; later bodily phlegm”
Late Latin
Latin
phlegma
“phlegm, mucus”
Old French
Old French
fleume
“phlegm, mucus”
Middle English
English
fleme / phlegme
“phlegm, mucus; also the bodily humor”
Modern English
English
phlegm
“mucus from the respiratory passages”
Explore more surprising origins