• n. 痰；粘液；粘液質

來自拉丁語phlegma,痰，黏液（古醫學體液理論構成人體的血液，黏液，膽汁，黑膽汁四種體液之一），來自希臘語phlegma,發熱，由體熱所致的多痰癥，來自phlegein,燃燒，發熱，來自PIE*bhel,照耀，燃燒，詞源同blaze,bleach.后在中世紀醫學理論認為體內多痰會致人冷淡，遲鈍，但是，被誤解為冷淡是冷靜，鎮定的表現，因此，產生模糊和矛盾的詞義。

phlegm

phlegm: [14] Greek phlégma denoted ‘bodily fluid produced by inflammation’ (it was a derivative of phlégein ‘burn’, which went back to the same Indo-European base as produced English flagrant, flame, fulminate, and phlox [18] – in Greek literally ‘flame’). As Latin phlegma it came to be used for ‘body fluid’ in general, and was incorporated into the medieval system of bodily humours as a term for the ‘cold moist humour’, which induced sluggishness (whence the meaning of the derivative phlegmatic [16]).

This came to be associated in the late Middle Ages with ‘mucus, particularly as produced in the respiratory passage’. English acquired the word via Old French fleume as fleume, and did not revert to the latinate form until the 16th century.
=> flagrant, flame, fulminate, phlox

phlegm (n.)

late 14c., fleem "viscid mucus" (the stuff itself and also regarded as a bodily humor), from Old French fleume (13c., Modern French flegme), from Late Latin phlegma, one of the four humors of the body, from Greek phlegma "humor caused by heat," lit "inflammation, heat," from phlegein "to burn," related to phlox (genitive phlogos) "flame, blaze," from PIE *bhleg- "to shine, flash," from root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn" (see bleach (v.)). Modern form is attested from c. 1660. The "cold, moist" humor of the body, in medieval physiology, it was believed to cause apathy.

1. His throat congested with phlegm.

他的喉嚨被痰塞住了.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

2. Blood in phlegm can be a sign of lung cancer.

痰中帶血可能是肺癌的體征.

來自辭典例句

3. When did you first notice blood in your phlegm?

你什么時候開始發現你的痰里有血的?

來自互聯網

4. He coughs up a lot of phlegm thick spit on most days.

他多半時間咳出濃濃的痰.

來自互聯網

5. Slight yellow greasy coating indicates much phlegm and dampness.

微黃厚膩苔--較多內生有形痰濕.

來自互聯網