Phlegm vs Sputum - What's the difference?
phlegm | sputum |
(historical) One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
* 1993 , William Dalrymple, City of Djinns , HarperCollins 1993:
Viscid mucus produced by the body, later especially mucus expelled from the bronchial passages by coughing.
* 2005 , "Endangered Species?" Hannah Beech, Time , 14 Nov 2005:
(historical, chemistry, alchemy) A watery distillation, especially one obtained from plant matter; an aqueous solution.
Calmness of temperament, composure; also seen negatively, sluggishness, indifference.
* 1942 , "Warning to Sweden", Time , 5 Oct 1942:
(physiology) Matter coughed up and expectorated from the mouth, composed of saliva and discharges from the respiratory passages such as mucus, phlegm or pus.
As nouns the difference between phlegm and sputum
is that phlegm is one of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus while sputum is matter coughed up and expectorated from the mouth, composed of saliva and discharges from the respiratory passages such as mucus, phlegm or pus.phlegm
English
(wikipedia phlegm)Noun
(en-noun)- Each person's unique mixture of these substances determines his temperament: a predominance of blood gives a sanguine temperament; a predominance of phlegm makes one phlegmatic; yellow bile, bilious (or choleric); and black bile, melancholic.
- "Even some members of the new bourgeoisie indulge in conspicuously boorish behavior, like hawking phlegm onto the pavement or picking their noses at business meetings."
- But Swedish Nazis also talked of the necessity of saving Sweden from Bolshevism, and with the menacing Berlin radio gnawing in their ears many Swedes lost their Scandinavian phlegm .
