bile-suppressing
|bile-sup-press-ing|
/ˈbaɪl səˈprɛsɪŋ/
(bile-suppress)
reducing or holding back bile
Etymology
'bile-suppressing' is a modern English compound formed from 'bile' and the present participle 'suppressing' (from the verb 'suppress'). 'bile' in English refers to the digestive fluid and, historically, to temperament; 'suppress' comes from Latin 'supprimere' (sub- 'under' + premere 'to press').
'bile' entered English from Old English (and related Germanic sources) with ties to Latin 'bilis'; 'suppress' entered English via Old French/Middle English from Latin 'supprimere' and its past participle 'suppressus', and the compound form arose productively in modern English by linking the noun and a participial verb form.
Originally 'bile' primarily named the bodily fluid (and secondarily was associated with temperament), and 'suppress' originally meant 'to press down'; combined in modern usage the compound means 'to inhibit bile' and can also be used figuratively to mean 'to dampen bitterness or anger'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
tending to reduce or inhibit the production, secretion, or release of bile; used of drugs, treatments, or actions that suppress bile.
The doctor prescribed a bile-suppressing medication to reduce excessive bile secretion.
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Adjective 2
figurative: reducing bitterness, anger, or rancor (drawing on the old association of 'bile' with temper or irritability).
A calm conversation had a bile-suppressing effect on the tense negotiation.
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Last updated: 2025/10/19 11:40