Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “somnific” come from?

somnific (English) comes from Latin somnificus, from Latin somniō, from Latin somnium, from Latin somnus, from Proto-Italic swepnos, from Proto-Indo-European swépnos, from Proto-Indo-European swopnos, from Proto-Indo-European swep- — to sleep.

somnific (English): Causing sleep; somniferous

Definitions

  1. Causing sleep; somniferous

Ancestry of “somnific”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsomnificus—
2Latinsomniō—
3Latinsomniumdream, vision; fantasy, daydream
4Latinsomnussleep; drowsiness, slumber sloth, idleness; death
5Proto-Italicswepnos—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswépnossleep, slumber
7Proto-Indo-Europeanswopnosdream
8Proto-Indo-Europeanswep-to sleep
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swep- →