Cacocholia

/ˌkækoʊˈkoʊliə/ noun

Definition

An archaic medical term referring to a diseased or unhealthy condition of the bile; bad temperament.

Etymology

From Greek kakos (bad) + cholia or chole (bile). This is a classical medical term combining Greek roots to describe imbalanced humors in pre-modern medical theory.

Kelly Says

Cacocholia is a ghost word from the era of humoral medicine—doctors once believed that bad bile caused both physical illness and grumpiness, combining modern-seeming precision with beliefs we now know are wrong.

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