What does phlegmatic mean?
Word: Phlegmatic
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Phlegmatic means calm by nature and not easily excited, angered or upset.
Synonyms: calm, unruffled, stolid
Antonyms: excitable, emotional
Word origin: Comes through Latin from Greek phlegmatikos.
How do you spell phlegmatic?
Syllables: phleg - mat - ic
Tricky part: The word opens with ph, not f, which catches students who write what they hear.
Watch out for: flegmatic, flegmatick
Memory tip: Philosophers are said to stay calm, and they begin with the same ph as this word.
Phlegmatic in a sentence
Example 1: Our phlegmatic captain did not blink when the rain stopped play.
Example 2: Even when the projector failed, the phlegmatic lecturer simply picked up the chalk.
Example 3: Grandpa stayed phlegmatic while the rest of us hunted for the lost tickets.
Fun Fact
A very old theory, going back to ancient Greece, sorted people into four temperaments. Their English names are sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic, and all four are still in use.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the misspelt word:
a) pragmatic
b) enigmatic
c) phlegmattic
d) charismatic
Show answer
c) phlegmattic. One t is enough, as in pragmatic and enigmatic.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ph' pronounced differently?
a) shepherd
b) phlegmatic
c) sphere
d) graph
Show answer
a) shepherd. Shepherd has a plain p sound here; the other three all say f.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. phlegmatic 2. opulent 3. candid a. hot-headed b. secretive c. shabby
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
Show answer
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b. A hot-headed person is the reverse of a phlegmatic one, shabby rooms the reverse of opulent ones, and a secretive friend the reverse of a candid one.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. A phlegmatic person rarely loses his temper in a crisis. 2. A dogmatic person gladly changes an opinion whenever asked. 3. An aromatic herb gives off a pleasant smell.
a) only 2 is true
b) all three are true
c) only 1 and 2 are true
d) only 1 and 3 are true
Show answer
d) only 1 and 3 are true. A dogmatic person clings to an opinion, so the middle statement is false.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. When the crowd jeers, a phlegmatic goalkeeper tends to ___.
a) shrug and carry on
b) run off the field
c) burst into angry tears
d) argue with the referee
Show answer
a) shrug and carry on
2. Which job most needs a phlegmatic temper?
a) street musician
b) fashion photographer
c) air traffic controller
d) stand-up comedian
Show answer
c) air traffic controller
