phlegm
noun/flem/
/flem/
[uncountable]- the thick substance that forms in the nose and throat, especially when you have a coldTopics Bodyc2, Health problemsc2
- the ability to remain calm in a situation that is difficult or frightening
- Phlegm and perseverance carried them through many troubles.
Word OriginMiddle English fleem, fleume, from Old French fleume, from late Latin phlegma ‘clammy moisture (of the body)’, from Greek phlegma ‘inflammation’, from phlegein ‘to burn’. The spelling change in the 16th cent. was due to association with the Latin and Greek.
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phlegm