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choleric

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 17 December 2025

Etymology

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Jacques Houzeau, Le Colérique (17th century), a statue depicting a choleric person (adjective sense 1.1.2), at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, Yvelines, France.

From Middle English colerik (“(adjective) of or relating to, or dominated by, choler; of diseases: caused by excessive or toxic choler; of persons or their temperament: dominated by choler, irascible, quick to anger, choleric; of weather or zodiac signs: favourable to choler; (noun) person dominated by choler, person who is irascible or quick to anger; etc.”),[1] from Anglo-Norman coleric, colerik, colerique, Middle French colerique, and Old French colerique (“(adjective) of or relating to choler; of persons or their temperament: dominated by choler, irascible, quick to anger; angry, enraged; (noun) person dominated by choler; person who is irascible”) (modern French cholérique), and from their etymon Late Latin cholericus (“quick to anger”), Latin cholericus (“person having cholera”), from Ancient Greek χολερικός (kholerikós, “of or relating to cholera”), from χολέρᾰ (kholéră, “cholera”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix meaning ‘of or relating to’).[2] Χολέρᾰ (Kholéră) is possibly from Pre-Greek, or from χολή (kholḗ, “bile; gall”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“green; yellow”). By surface analysis, choler +‎ -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or relating to’). Piecewise doublet of choleraic.

Adjective sense 2.1 (“of or relating to cholera; affected by cholera”) and noun sense 2.1 (“person suffering from cholera”) are probably influenced by French cholérique (“(adjective) of or relating to cholera; affected by cholera; (noun) person with cholera”).[2]

Pronunciation

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The pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable is probably based on cognate words in other languages, or from the adverb cholerically.[2]

Adjective

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choleric (comparative more choleric, superlative most choleric)

  1. Senses relating to choler or yellow bile (“one of the four humours formerly believed to be secreted by the liver”).
    1. (medicine, historical)
      1. Of or relating to choler.
      3. Of a person: having an excess of choler, and thus having a tendency to become angry easily; also, of a person's complexion or temperament: dominated by choler.
        Antonyms: noncholeric, uncholeric
        Coordinate terms: melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine
        • 153[9], Thomas Elyot, “Of Tyme”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 39, recto:
          Alway remember, that in wynter fleume increaſeth by reaſon of rayne and moyſtneſſe of that ſeaſon, alſo the length of nyghtes and moche reſte. And therfore in that tyme cholerike perſons, are beſt at eaſe, ſemblably are yonge men, but to olde men wynter is ennemye.
        • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Trauaile”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 104:
          And let a Man bevvare, hovv he keepeth Company, vvith Cholerick and Quarelſome Perſons; for they vvill engage him into their ovvne Quarels.
        • a. 1634 (date written), G[eorge] H[erbert], Outlandish Proverbs, […], London: […] T. P. for Humphrey Blunden;  […], published 1640, →OCLC, paragraph 164, signature [A7], recto:
          From a chollerick man vvithdravv a little, from him that ſaies nothing, for ever.
        • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
          Our tvvo Great Poets [Homer and Virgil], being ſo different in their Tempers, one Cholerick and Sanguin, the other Phlegmatick and Melancholick; that vvhich makes them excel in their ſeveral VVays, is, that each of them has follovv'd his ovvn natural Inclination, as vvell in Forming the Deſign, as in the Execution of it.
        1. (astrology, historical) Of a planet or zodiac sign, season, etc.: affecting people having an excess of choler, causing anger or irritability.
      4. (obsolete)
        1. Of a body organ: affected by or containing choler, especially when abnormal or excessive.
          • 153[9], Thomas Elyot, “Of Quantitie”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 16, verso:
            [T]he cholerike ſtomake, doth not deſyre ſo much as he may digeſte, the melancholye ſtomake may not digeſte ſo moche as he deſyreth: for colde maketh appetyte, but naturall heate concocteth or boyleth.
        2. Of a disease or symptom: caused by choler, especially when abnormal or excessive.
        3. Of food: causing an excess of choler in the body.
    2. (by extension)
      1. Of a person: having a tendency to become angry easily; bad-tempered, irritable; also, feeling or showing anger; angry, enraged.
        (having a tendency to become angry easily): Synonyms: hot-tempered, ill-tempered, irascible, temperamental; see also Thesaurus:irritable
        (having a tendency to become angry easily): Antonyms: noncholeric, uncholeric
        (feeling or showing anger): Synonyms: irate, wrathful; see also Thesaurus:angry
      2. Of an act, feeling, words, etc.: arising from or showing anger.
        • 1582, “The Second Booke of Virgil His Æneis”, in Richard Stanyhurst, transl., The First Foure Bookes of Virgils Æneis, […], London: […] Henrie Bynneman […], published 1583, →OCLC, page 35:
          Though that he were poſting in fatal iourney to deaths doore, / Yeet this quick cholerick challenge hee could not abandon.
        • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 68, column 1:
          That in the Captaine's but a chollericke vvord, / VVhich in the Souldier is flat blaſphemie.
        • 1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XLV. Sir Charles Grandison, to Dr. Bartlett.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume II, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, pages 354–355:
          [H]e dared to ſay, that, after ſuch an exertion of ſpirit, as he called a choleric exceſs, I ſhould not hear any more of them for one vvhile; […]
        • 1913, Norman Lindsay, “A Curate in Spite of Himself”, in A Curate in Bohemia, London: T[homas] Werner Laurie […], published December 1938, →OCLC, page 224:
          [H]e forgot completely about Cripps's letter, […] He was unpleasantly reminded of the omission next morning by another missive from the exiled Cripps, couched in such choleric terms that it seemed to explode in Limpet's face as he read it.
        • 2024, Jeremy B. Rudd, “Introduction: Is Macroeconomics Useful?”, in A Practical Guide to Microeconomics, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, →DOI, →ISBN, footnote 1, page 2:
          Like most pieces of agitprop, the Lucas and Sargent paper vastly overstated the deficiencies of the old order. And as in most revolutionary movements, counterrevolutionary action was dealt with harshly – witness Lucas's (1994) choleric reaction to Ball and Mankiw (1994).
      3. (obsolete) hot; also, hot and dry.
        Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hot
        • 1675 May 9 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), J[ohn] Evelyn, A Philosophical Discourse of Earth, Relating to the Culture and Improvement of It for Vegetation, and the Propagation of Plants, &c. […], London: […] John Martyn, printer to the Royal Society, published 1676, →OCLC:
          [T]he common opinion is (though long ſince exploded by Columella) that all hot, and choleric grounds, are red or brovvn; cold and dry, blackiſh; cold and moiſt, vvhitiſh; hot and moiſt, ruddy; […]
  2. Senses relating to cholera (“any of several acute infectious diseases caused by certain strains of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium”).
    2. (medicine) Synonym of choleraic (“of or relating to cholera; also, affected by cholera”).
      • 1833 January 1, David Craigie, “Art. II.—Observations, Pathological and Therapeutic, on the Epidemic Cholera, as It has Prevailed in Edinburgh and Its Vicinity.”, in The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal: […], volume XXXIX, number 114, Edinburgh: […] Adam and Charles Black; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman; Dublin: John Cumming, and Hodges & Smith, →OCLC, part I (Original Communications), page 39:
        I now proceed to enumerate those lesions and morbid changes found in the bodies of those cut off by cholera, which must have preceded the appearance of the disease, and which, existing, as they did, in very different organs, had no connection with the choleric symptoms, but nevertheless rendered the chance of recovery much less likely.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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choleric (plural cholerics)

  1. Senses relating to choler.
    1. (medicine, historical) A person having an excess of choler, and thus having a tendency to become angry easily; preceded by the: such people collectively.
      • 1680 September 12 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Gilbert Burnet, A Sermon Preached before the Right-honourable the Lord-Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, at Bow-Church, September 2. 1680. being the Anniversary Fast for the Burning of London, London: […] Richard Chiswel, […], published 1680, →OCLC, pages 12–13:
        According to the difference of Mens Conſtitutions, ſo they have choſen various VVays, that did moſt ſute vvith their Tempers, […] The Sanguine love Pageantry; the Flegmatick, the dull return of their Forms; the Melancholy affect Severities; and the Cholerick are peeviſh and paſſionate, and think thoſe Heats that are natural to them, are Sacrifices of great value vvith God. But vvill he accept of theſe from ſuch defiled hands?
      • 1915, John Adams, “Taking Oneself in Hand”, in Making the Most of One’s Mind, New York, N.Y.: Hodder & Stoughton; George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC, page 21:
        According as one or other of these fluids or "humours" got the upper hand in the body, did the person belong to one or other of the four recognized temperaments—the sanguine, the phlegmatic (or lymphatic), the choleric, the melancholic. Certain qualities were assumed to belong to each of these temperaments. […] The cholerics show ambition, stubbornness, love of work, courage; […]
    2. (by extension) A person having a tendency to become angry easily; preceded by the: such people collectively.
      • 1595, Iaques [i.e., Jacques] Hurault, “That Princes Must Aboue All Things Eschue Choler”, in Arthur Golding, transl., Politicke, Moral, and Martial Discourses. […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, 2nd booke, page 362:
        [A]s Plutarch ſaith, Men are not vvoont to dravv a freſh cheeſe vvith a hooke: but as for the cholericke, they dravv not, but brooze, breake and ſhatter in peeces; and in ſtead of dravving, do thruſt off children from comming to learning.
      • 1762, [Samuel] Foote, The Orators. […], Dublin: […] Thomas Richey, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 51:
        [W]e ſhall produce one great group of orators, in vvhich vvill be exhibited ſpecimens of every branch of the art. You vvill have at one vievv, the choleric, the placid, the voluble, the frigid, the frothy, the turgid, the calm, and the clamorous; […]
      • 1964, C[live] S[taples] Lewis, “Earth and Her Inhabitants”, in The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, →OCLC, page 172:
        But, unlike the Sanguine, the Choleric are vindictive. […] Cholerics dream of thunder and of bright, dangerous things, like arrows and fire, as Peretelote knows […].
      • 1984, Tim LaHaye, “Evaluating Your Strengths and Weaknesses”, in Your Temperament: Discover its Potential, Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, published December 1984, →ISBN, part 2 (What Temperament are You?), page 54:
        Cholerics are extremely hostile people. Some learn to control their anger, but eruption into violence is always a possibility with them. […] No one utters more caustic comments than a sarcastic choleric! He is usually reading with a cutting comment that can wither the insecure and devastate the less combative.
  2. Senses relating to cholera.
    2. (medicine, obsolete) Synonym of choleraic (“a person suffering from cholera”).
      • 1832, Ashbel Smith, “Convalescence”, in The Cholera Spasmodica, as Observed in Paris in 1832: Comprising Its Symptoms, Pathology, and Treatment. […], New York, N.Y.: Peter Hill, […], →OCLC, page 59:
        Persons laboring under pulmonary affections appear to be less liable than others, though I have found softened tubercles in some cholerics.

Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “colerik, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 “choleric, n. and adj.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “choleric, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

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