somniferous

[ som-nif-er-uhs, suhm- ]
See synonyms for somniferous on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. bringing or inducing sleep, as drugs or influences.

Origin of somniferous

1
1595–1605; <Latin somnifer inducing sleep (somni-, combining form of somnus sleep + -fer-fer) + -ous

Other words from somniferous

  • som·nif·er·ous·ly, adverb

Words Nearby somniferous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use somniferous in a sentence

  • I did not find the jolting of the cart at all disagreeable; on the contrary, it had quite a somniferous effect upon me.

    Lavengro | George Borrow
  • This yelp, sounding above the somniferous monotone of grumbling, stirred Cap'n Sproul from his dozing.

  • They were aware of the somniferous properties of the sap, and Dioscorides2005 mentions the variety with white seeds.

    Origin of Cultivated Plants | Alphonse De Candolle
  • It was of a remarkably somniferous character,—the cunning Le Duc had evidently some object in playing thus.

  • Night otherwise fallen dark and somniferous to modern mankind.

British Dictionary definitions for somniferous

somniferous

somnific

/ (sɒmˈnɪfərəs) /


adjective
  1. rare tending to induce sleep

Origin of somniferous

1
C17: from Latin somnifer (from somnus sleep + ferre to do) + -ous

Derived forms of somniferous

  • somniferously, adverb

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