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somnambulism

[som-nam-byuh-liz-uh m, suh m-]
See more synonyms for somnambulism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. sleepwalking.

Origin of somnambulism

1790–1800; < New Latin somnambulismus, equivalent to somn(us) sleep + ambul(āre) to walk + -ismus -ism
Related formssom·nam·bu·list, nounsom·nam·bu·lis·tic, adjectivesem·i·som·nam·bu·lis·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for somnambulism

noctambulism, somnambulation, somnambulism, somnambulance

Examples from the Web for somnambulism

Historical Examples of somnambulism

British Dictionary definitions for somnambulism

somnambulism

noun
  1. a condition that is characterized by walking while asleep or in a hypnotic tranceAlso called: noctambulism
Derived Formssomnambulist, nounsomnambulistic, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for somnambulism
n.

1786, "walking in one's sleep or under hypnosis," from French somnambulisme, from Modern Latin somnambulus "sleepwalker," from Latin somnus "sleep" (see Somnus) + ambulare "to walk" (see amble (v.)).

Originally brought into use during the excitement over "animal magnetism;" it won out over noctambulation. A stack of related words came into use early 19c., e.g. somnambule "sleepwalker" (1837, from French somnambule, 1690s), earlier somnambulator (1803); as adjectives, somnambulary (1827), somnambular (1820).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
somnambulism in Medicine

somnambulism

[sŏm-năm′byə-lĭz′əm]
n.
  1. sleepwalking
Related formssom•nam′bu•lis′tic adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.