noctambulous

American  

[nok-tam-byuh-luhs] / nɒkˈtæm byə ləs /

Also noctambulant

adjective

1. of, relating to, or given to sleepwalking.

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Etymology

Origin of noctambulous

1725–35; noct- + Latin ambul ( āre ) to walk + -ous

Explanation

If you’re noctambulous, clear your floor before going to bed, so you don't trip while sleepwalking! It also makes sense to cover sharp points on furniture to protect yourself during your noctambulous excursions. Noctambulous combines the Latin noct- (from nox, “night”) with ambulare ("to walk"). While we use the suffix -ous to create this adjective, swapping it for -ist gives us the noun noctambulist, "a sleepwalker." You might recognize these roots from words like nocturnal, meaning "active during the night," and ambulance, originally a mobile hospital that "walked" with the army. Noctambulous people don't just walk at night, though — they walk at night while asleep.

Example Sentences

Her noctambulous habits often brought her into contact with the local police and sometimes with His Worship Signor Malipizzo.

From South Wind by Douglas, Norman