Phlegma

Phlegma is one of the four humors in traditional medical theory, along with blood, yellow bile, and black bile. It is associated with the element of earth and the season of winter. In ancient Greek medicine, phlegma was believed to be the most abundant and stable of the humors, and it was thought to be produced in the spleen. It was considered to be the most essential and life-sustaining of the humors, and it was believed to be the basis of the body's constitution.

Phlegma was also associated with the qualities of calmness, stability, and patience. People with a predominance of phlegma were often described as slow-moving, steady, and reliable. They were thought to be good listeners and good at maintaining a calm demeanor in stressful situations.

In modern medicine, the concept of the four humors has been largely abandoned, and phlegma is no longer used as a diagnostic tool. However, the term is still sometimes used in a metaphorical sense to describe a calm, steady, and reliable person or thing.