different between phlegmatic vs lethargic

English

Alternative forms

• phlegmatick
• phlegmaticke
• phlegmatique

Etymology

From Old French fleumatique, from Latin phlegmaticus, from Ancient Greek ??????????? (phlegmatikós), from ?????? (phlégma).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fl???mæt?k/
• Rhymes: -æt?k

Adjective

phlegmatic (comparative more phlegmatic, superlative most phlegmatic)

1. Not easily excited to action or passion; calm; sluggish.
   • 2013, A.O. Scott, “How It Looks to Think: Watch Her,” Rev. of Hannah Arendt, dir. by Margarethe von Trotta, New York Times 29 May 2013: C1. Print.

     Their friendship (immortalized in a splendid volume of letters that has clearly served as one of Ms. von Trotta's sources) is a fascinating study in cultural and temperamental contrast, an impulsive and witty American paired with a steady, phlegmatic German.

2. (archaic) Abounding in phlegm.

3. Generating, causing, or full of phlegm.

Synonyms

• (calm and reasonable, tending not to get upset): apathetic, sluggish, cold-blooded, unflappable, stoic
• See also Thesaurus:calm

Coordinate terms

• choleric
• melancholic
• sanguine

Related terms

• phlegm
• phlegmatically

Translations

Noun

phlegmatic (plural phlegmatics)

1. One who has a phlegmatic disposition.

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• lethargick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ?????????? (l?thargikós), from ???????? (l?thargos, “forgetful, lethargic”), from ???? (l?th?, “a forgetting, forgetfulness”) (from which Lethe (“river in Hades”)) + ????? (argós, “not working”)

Pronunciation

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /l?????d??k/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /l?????d??k/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /l?????.d??k/
• Rhymes: -??(?)d??k

Adjective

lethargic (comparative more lethargic, superlative most lethargic)

1. sluggish, slow
2. indifferent, apathetic

Synonyms

• torpid
• lazy
• unmoving

Related terms

• alethic, alethiology, philalethia
• lethargy
• Lethe

Translations