Where does “sleepwaker” come from?

sleepwaker (English) comes from English waker, from Dutch waken, from Middle Dutch waken, from Old Dutch wacon, from Proto-West Germanic wakēn, from Proto-Germanic wakāną, from Proto-Indo-European weǵ- — lively, awake; strong.

sleepwaker (English): One in a state of magnetic or mesmeric sleep

Definitions

  1. One in a state of magnetic or mesmeric sleep

Ancestry of “sleepwaker”, step by step

sleepwaker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English waker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwakerWatchful; vigilant; alert; One who wakens or...
2Dutchwakento stay awake; to watch, to be alert
3Middle Dutchwakento wake, to be awake; to not be or fall asleep,...
4Old Dutchwaconto wake, to be awake
5Proto-West Germanicwakēnto wake, to be awake
6Proto-Germanicwakānąto wake, to be awake
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵ-lively, awake; strong

via English sleep

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsleepTo rest in a state of reduced consciousness; To...
2Middle Englishslepento sleep; to become asleep, to cause to sleep; to...
3Old Englishslǣpan
4Proto-West Germanicslāpanto sleep
5Proto-Germanicslēpanąto sleep
6Proto-Indo-Europeanslab-to be weak, be languid; be weak, limp, languid
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵ-