Phlegmatic
Having a calm, unemotional, and unruffled demeanor; not easily excited or upset.
adjectivePhlegmatic
Having a calm, unemotional, and unruffled demeanor; not easily excited or upset.
adjectiveImagine This
Picture a composed referee in a chaotic stadium, keeping a straight face and steady voice while players argue and the crowd roars around them.
Sounds Like
/หflษษกหmรฆtษชk/ (fleg-MAT-ik)
Looks Like
phlegm + atic (looks like the word 'phlegm' with the common -atic suffix)
Remember This
The term comes from the humoral theory of ancient medicine, where phlegm was one of the four humors associated with a calm, cool temperament.
Other Forms
Connect With
calm, collected, stoic, impassive, imperturbable, reserved
Note
Do not confuse with 'phlegm' (the mucus) or with 'phlegmy' in the literal sense. Phlegmatic describes temperament or demeanor, not a medical condition. Often used to describe people who are collected and unflustered rather than cold or indifferent.