choleric
Syllables: chol·er·ic/ˈkɒləɹɪk/US/ˈkɑləɹɪk/
choleric adjective: of or relating to choler.
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Adjective
choleric (comparative more choleric, superlative most choleric)
- Of or relating to choler.
- 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.
- 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.153[9], Thomas Elyot, “Of Tyme”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 39, recto
- And let a Man bevvare, hovv he keepeth Company, vvith Cholerick and Quarelſome Perſons; for they vvill engage him into their ovvne Quarels.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Trauaile”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 104
- Antonyms:
- noncholeric, uncholeric
- Of a planet or zodiac sign, season, etc.: affecting people having an excess of choler, causing anger or irritability.
- Antonyms:
- noncholeric, uncholeric
- Of a body organ: affected by or containing choler, especially when abnormal or excessive.
- [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.153[9], Thomas Elyot, “Of Quantitie”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 16, verso
- Of a disease or symptom: caused by choler, especially when abnormal or excessive.
- Of food: causing an excess of choler in the body.
- Gru[mio]. VVhat ſay you to a Neats foote? / Kate [Katherina Minola]. 'Tis paſsing good, I prethee let me haue it. / Gru. I feare it is too chollericke a meate. / Hovv ſay you to a fat Tripe finely broyl'd? / Kate. I like it vvell, good Grumio fetch it me. / Gru. I cannot tell, I feare 'tis...c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- A chollericke parcell of food it is, that vvho ſo ties himſelfe to racke and manger to for fiue ſummers, and fiue vvinters, he ſhall beget a child that vvill be a ſouldiour and a commaunder before hee hath caſt his firſt teeth, […]1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, pages 37–38
- Of a person: having a tendency to become angry easily; bad-tempered, irritable; also, feeling or showing anger; angry, enraged.
- […] Moſes might ſeem to bee the ſharpeſt, the rougheſt, and the cholorickeſt man yͭ euer vvas: and that vvas againſt his nature.1583, Iohn Caluin [i.e., John Calvin], “On Wednesday the VJ. of May, 1556. The CLXXVII. Sermon which is the Fifth vpon the One and Thirtieth Chapter”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The Sermons of M....
- VVhat, vvhat, my Lord? Are you ſo chollericke / VVith Elianor [Eleanor Cobham], for telling but her dreame?1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
- Synonyms:
- hot-tempered, ill-tempered, irascible, temperamental, atrabilious, bad-tempered, bilious, bitchy, brainish, cantankerous
- Antonyms:
- noncholeric, uncholeric
- Of an act, feeling, words, etc.: arising from or showing anger.
- Though that he were poſting in fatal iourney to deaths doore, / Yeet this quick cholerick challenge hee could not abandon.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
- That in the Captaine's but a chollericke vvord, / VVhich in the Souldier is flat blaſphemie.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]...
- hot; also, hot and dry.
- [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; […]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....
- Senses relating to cholera (“any of several acute infectious diseases caused by certain strains of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium”).
- Synonym of choleraic (“of or relating to cholera; also, affected by cholera”).
- 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...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...
- Synonym of choleraic (“of or relating to cholera; also, affected by cholera”).
Noun
choleric (plural cholerics)
- A person having an excess of choler, and thus having a tendency to become angry easily; preceded by the: such people collectively.
- 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...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....
- 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...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
- A person having a tendency to become angry easily; preceded by the: such people collectively.
- [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.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...
- [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; […]1762, [Samuel] Foote, The Orators. […], Dublin: […] Thomas Richey, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 51
- Senses relating to cholera.
- Synonym of choleraic (“a person suffering from cholera”).
- Persons laboring under pulmonary affections appear to be less liable than others, though I have found softened tubercles in some cholerics.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
- Synonym of choleraic (“a person suffering from cholera”).
choleric meaning in Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Telugu
choleric in Tamil
- சிடுசிடுப்பான
choleric in Urdu
- غصیلا, تنک مزاج, تند مزاج
choleric in Bengali
- বদমেজাজি, ক্রোধী
choleric in Telugu
- choleric, angry, enraged
- కుపితము kupitamu
More languagesFewer languages
- choleric in Malayalam
- കോപിയായ, മുൻകോപമുള്ള, ക്ഷിപ്രകോപം വരുന്ന, വേഗം കോപം വരുന്ന
Examples of choleric in a sentence
- Hovv angry the poor Devil is? in fine thou art as cholerick as a Cook by a Fire ſide.1667 August 25 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Dryden], Sr Martin Mar-all, or The Feign’d Innocence: A Comedy. […], London...
- For God’s ſake, Madam, vvhy ſo Cholerick?1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “An Account of the Conference between Mrs. Bull and Don Diego Dismallo”, in John Bull...
- But Bunting was a prudent man, and not apt to be choleric.1832, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter V, in Eugene Aram. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book...
- As it was clear that he was a choleric fellow in some respects, Mr.1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Thirty-fifth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman...
Synonyms of choleric
- hot-tempered
- ill-tempered
- irascible
- temperamental
- atrabilious
- bad-tempered
- bilious
- bitchy
- brainish
- cantankerous
30 more synonymsFewer synonyms
Antonyms
Forms of choleric
| Adjective | |
|---|---|
| comparative | more choleric |
| superlative | most choleric |
| Noun | |
| plural | cholerics |
Origin of choleric
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.”), 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’). 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...
Words formed from choleric
Words that rhyme with choleric
Questions about choleric
- What does choleric mean?
- Choleric means of or relating to choler.
- What is choleric in Tamil?
- Choleric in Tamil is சிடுசிடுப்பான. See Choleric meaning in Tamil.
- How do you use choleric in a sentence?
- Hovv angry the poor Devil is? in fine thou art as cholerick as a Cook by a Fire ſide.
- What part of speech is choleric?
- Choleric can be an adjective or a noun.
- How do you pronounce choleric?
- Choleric is pronounced /ˈkɒləɹɪk/ (UK).
Words near choleric in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: choleric (page history and authors); choleric (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); choleric (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); choleric (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); కుపితము (Telugu) (page history and authors); choleric (Olam, E.K. Kurup corpus) (dataset and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “choleric.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/choleric. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.