Yellow Bile (Noun)
Meaning
A humor that was once believed to be secreted by the liver and to cause irritability and anger.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The medieval physician diagnosed his patient's short temper as an excess of yellow bile, which was believed to be a humor that flowed through the body.
- In ancient Greek medicine, yellow bile was thought to be responsible for the choleric personality type, characterized by a quick temper and irascibility.
- The imbalance of yellow bile in her body was said to be the cause of her frequent mood swings and irritability.
- The concept of yellow bile as a bodily humor was later discredited, but it remained a popular way to describe someone's angry or irritable demeanor.
- The doctor believed that his patient's outbursts of anger were caused by an overabundance of yellow bile, which needed to be balanced through dietary changes and other treatments.