black bile


noun

one of the four elemental bodily humors of medieval physiology, regarded as causing gloominess.

Origin of black bile

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example sentences from the Web for black bile

  • Abscess of the liver depends upon some vice of the blood, the bile, the phlegm or the black-bile.

    Gilbertus Anglicus |Henry Ebenezer Handerson

British Dictionary definitions for black bile

black bile

noun

archaic one of the four bodily humours; melancholy See humour (def. 8)

Medical definitions for black bile

black bile

n.

One of the four humors of ancient and medieval physiology, supposed to cause melancholy when present in excess.