Phlegm — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions

expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/flˈɛm/

🇬🇧British English

/flˈɛm/

🇮🇳Indian English

/flˈɛm/

1 syllable Say it as /flˈɛm/.

Examples

the general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

indifference emotionlessness stolidity sluggishness flatness impassiveness lethargy impassivity languor sputum unemotionality

Parts of Speech

noun	apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
noun	expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness
noun	inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy “the general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends”

Word Forms

emotionless	adjective	unmoved by feeling; ; -Margaret Deland
impassive	adjective	having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited; ; - Nordhoff & Hall; -Virginia Woolf
phlegmatic	adjective	showing little emotion
phlegmatical	adjective	showing little emotion
stolid	adjective	having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited; ; - Nordhoff & Hall; -Virginia Woolf
phlegmy	adjective	characterized by phlegm
languorous	adjective	lacking spirit or liveliness
lethargic	adjective	deficient in alertness or activity
sluggish	adjective	slow and apathetic

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

Schleim

Apathie, die sich durch das Fehlen emotionaler Reaktionen zeigt

🇫🇷French

flegme

apathie démontrée par une absence de réactions émotionnelles

🇪🇸Spanish

flema

apatía demostrada por la ausencia de reacciones emocionales

🇮🇹Italian

flemma

apatia dimostrata dall’assenza di reazioni emotive

🇳🇱Dutch

slijm

apathie die blijkt uit de afwezigheid van emotionele reacties

🇵🇹Portuguese

catarro

apatia demonstrada por ausência de reações emocionais

🇷🇺Russian

мокрота

апатия, проявляющаяся отсутствием эмоциональных реакций

India

🇮🇳Hindi

कफ

भावनात्मक प्रतिक्रियाओं की अनुपस्थिति से प्रदर्शित उदासीनता

🇧🇩Bengali

কফ

উদাসীনতা মানসিক প্রতিক্রিয়া অনুপস্থিতি দ্বারা প্রদর্শিত

🇮🇳Tamil

சளி

உணர்ச்சி ரீதியான எதிர்வினைகள் இல்லாததால் அக்கறையின்மை நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது

🇮🇳Telugu

కఫం

ఉదాసీనత భావోద్వేగ ప్రతిచర్యలు లేకపోవడం ద్వారా ప్రదర్శించబడింది

🇮🇳Marathi

कफ

भावनिक प्रतिक्रियांच्या अनुपस्थितीमुळे उदासीनता दिसून येते

🇮🇳Gujarati

કફ

ઉદાસીનતા ભાવનાત્મક પ્રતિક્રિયાઓની ગેરહાજરી દ્વારા દર્શાવવામાં આવે છે

🇮🇳Kannada

ಕಫ

ಭಾವನಾತ್ಮಕ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳ ಅನುಪಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಿಂದ ನಿರಾಸಕ್ತಿ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ

🇮🇳Malayalam

കഫം

വൈകാരിക പ്രതികരണങ്ങളുടെ അഭാവത്താൽ പ്രകടമായ നിസ്സംഗത

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਕਫ

ਉਦਾਸੀਨਤਾ ਭਾਵਨਾਤਮਕ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਕਰਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਅਣਹੋਂਦ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਦਰਸਾਈ ਗਈ ਹੈ

🇵🇰Urdu

بلغم

بے حسی جذباتی رد عمل کی عدم موجودگی سے ظاہر ہوتی ہے۔

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

痰

缺乏情绪反应表现出冷漠

🇯🇵Japanese

痰

感情的な反応がないことによって示される無関心

🇰🇷Korean

담

정서적 반응의 부재로 나타나는 무관심

🇻🇳Vietnamese

đờm

sự thờ ơ thể hiện bằng sự thiếu vắng các phản ứng cảm xúc

🇹🇭Thai

เสมหะ

ความไม่แยแสแสดงให้เห็นโดยไม่มีปฏิกิริยาทางอารมณ์

🇮🇩Indonesian

dahak

sikap apatis yang ditunjukkan dengan tidak adanya reaksi emosional

🇵🇭Filipino

plema

kawalang-interes na ipinakita sa pamamagitan ng kawalan ng emosyonal na mga reaksyon

🇲🇾Malay

kahak

sikap tidak peduli yang ditunjukkan oleh ketiadaan reaksi emosi

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

البلغم

اللامبالاة التي تظهر من خلال غياب ردود الفعل العاطفية

🇮🇷Persian

بلغم

بی تفاوتی با فقدان واکنش های عاطفی نشان داده می شود

🇹🇷Turkish

balgam

duygusal reaksiyonların yokluğuyla gösterilen ilgisizlik

🇮🇱Hebrew

כִּיחַ

אדישות המופגנת בהיעדר תגובות רגשיות

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'phlegm'?

The primary meaning of 'phlegm' is 'apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'phlegm' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'phlegm' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'phlegm' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'phlegm' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'phlegm' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Do you find 'phlegm' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'phlegm' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'phlegm' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'phlegm' in a professional email?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Never

Would you classify 'phlegm' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

Pick an option to see how others voted