Word of the Day

: May 20, 2007

somnolent

adjective SAHM-nuh-lunt

What It Means

1 : of a kind likely to induce sleep

2 a : inclined to or heavy with sleep : drowsy

b : sleepy

somnolent in Context

"I am no whit somnolent; I always hear best with my eyes shut." (Sir Walter Scott, The Legend of Montrose)

Did You Know?

"Somnolent" first appeared in late 15th century in the redundant phrase "somnolent sleep." It came into English by way of Anglo-French from the Latin word "somnolentus," which itself comes from "somnus," meaning "sleep." Another offspring of "somnus" is "somnambulism," a synonym of "sleepwalking." "Insomnia" is also a member of this sleepy word family, though it might be considered the black sheep, since it means, of course, "the inability to sleep."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.