Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “somnifère” come from?

somnifère (French) comes from Latin somnifer, from Latin somnus, from Proto-Italic swepnos, from Proto-Indo-European swépnos, from Proto-Indo-European swopnos, from Proto-Indo-European swep- — to sleep.

somnifère (French): sedative, provoking sleep; sleeping pill

Definitions

  1. sedative, provoking sleep; sleeping pill

Ancestry of “somnifère”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsomnifersomniferous
2Latinsomnussleep; drowsiness, slumber sloth, idleness; death
3Proto-Italicswepnos—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswépnossleep, slumber
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswopnosdream
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswep-to sleep

Words derived from “somnifère”

  • somnifer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swep- →