Atrabiliar

/ˌætrəˈbɪliər/ adjective

Definition

A variant form meaning relating to melancholy or caused by an excess of black bile.

Etymology

From Latin atra bilis 'black bile' + -iar adjectival suffix. A variant spelling showing evolution of English medical terminology.

Kelly Says

The number of variant spellings (atrabiliar, atrabilar, atrabilaire) shows how English was still unstandardized when these medical terms were borrowed from Latin and French.

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