What is the origin of the word 'melancholy'?

Question

I heard it has something to do with black bile, can you confirm that?

Answer 1

The word “melancholy” - μελαγχολία has ancient Greek origin. It is a compound word. The first part is the adjective “μέλας” which means “dark” and the second part comes from the noun “χολή”, which is the dark and viscous liquid that is excreted by the bile.

The word melancholy was first used by Hippocrates, in a period when the ancient Greek philosophers tried to explain human behavior not in relation to the gods, the astrology, or other exterior factors, but in relation to the human organism.