somnifacient

adjective

som·​ni·​fa·​cient ˌsäm-nə-ˈfā-shənt How to pronounce somnifacient (audio)
somnifacient noun

Word History

Etymology

Latin somnus sleep + English -facient

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of somnifacient was circa 1890

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Somnifacient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somnifacient. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

somnifacient

1 of 2 adjective
som·​ni·​fa·​cient ˌsäm-nə-ˈfā-shənt How to pronounce somnifacient (audio)
: inducing sleep : hypnotic sense 1
a somnifacient drug

somnifacient

2 of 2 noun
: a somnifacient agent (as a drug) : hypnotic sense 1
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!