somnambulism
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of somnambulism
First recorded in 1790–1800; from French somnambulisme, from New Latin somnambulismus, equivalent to somn(us) “sleep” + ambul(āre) “to walk” + -ismus -ism
Explanation
Somnambulism is sleepwalking. Some people have managed to walk around their neighborhood without even knowing it because of somnambulism. The roots of this word — somn and amublate — are related to sleep and walking, and that's exactly what somnambulism is: walking in your sleep. Lots of people engage in somnambulism every night, usually harmlessly. Somnambulism can also include talking in your sleep and doing other activities.
Vocabulary lists containing somnambulism
Psychological Conditions and Disorders
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Psychology
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But we must be careful not to confuse this disorder with somnambulism.
From Scientific American • Jun. 5, 2023
Or are they symptoms of either sleep paralysis — the mind awake, but the body asleep — or its converse: somnambulism, or sleepwalking?
From Washington Post • Aug. 17, 2021
“The Day the Sun Died” takes place during a single evening and night, when a village called Gaotian is stricken by an outbreak of somnambulism, or “dreamwalking”:
From The New Yorker • Oct. 8, 2018
Her feet give the somnambulism a rapidly stuttering quality — the runs on point lack smoothness — and we don’t yet sense, during her main scene with the Poet, a heart that beats.
From New York Times • Feb. 2, 2017
Her strange somnambulism seemed suspicious to her, as did her new mania for taking food to her room.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
