Standard Lemma guide

somnolent

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɒmnələnt/
  • US: /ˈsɑːmnələnt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S AA1 M N AH0 L AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Drowsy or sleepy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sleepbound, somniculous, adrowse, bedroomy, dozy, dopey, dragging one's tail, drowsy, eyelids at half-mast, nodding off, oscitant, out of steam, sleepish, sleepy, slombry, snoozy, slumberful, slumberous, slumbersome, slumbery, somnolent, somnolescent, tired

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Causing literal or figurative sleepiness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: soporific, dormitive, hypnic, hypnotic, slumberous, somniferous, somnific, somnolent, soporiferous, soporous, stupefacient, stupefactive, tranquilizing, vapid

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

inclined to or marked by drowsiness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • slumberous (or slumbrous) eyes
  • `slumbery' is archaic
  • the sound had a somnolent effect

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: slumberous, slumbery, slumbrous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First attested in 1615. Borrowed from French somnolent, from Old French sompnolent, from Latin somnolentus, from somnus (“sleep”).

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сънлив (sǎnliv) — drowsy
  • Catalan: somnolent — drowsy
  • Dutch: slaperig — drowsy
  • Finnish: uninen — drowsy
  • Finnish: somnolentti — drowsy
  • French: somnolent — drowsy
  • Georgian: ძილიანი (ʒiliani) — drowsy
  • Georgian: მთვლემარე (mtvlemare) — drowsy
  • Georgian: მძინარე (mʒinare) — drowsy
  • German: schläfrig — drowsy
  • Greek: νυσταγμένος (nystagménos) — drowsy
  • Greek: γλαρωμένος (glaroménos) — drowsy
  • Greek: νυσταλέος (nystaléos) — drowsy
  • Greek: υπναλέος (ypnaléos) — drowsy
  • Italian: sonnolento — drowsy
  • Northern Kurdish: xewto — drowsy
  • Latin: somnolentus — drowsy
  • Latin: soporus — drowsy
  • Māori: momoe — drowsy
  • Polish: senny — drowsy
  • Portuguese: sonolento — drowsy
  • Russian: засыпа́ющий (zasypájuščij) — drowsy
  • Russian: дре́млющий (drémljuščij) — drowsy
  • Russian: со́нный (sónnyj) — drowsy
  • Spanish: somnoliento — drowsy
  • Ottoman Turkish: مخمور (mahmur) — drowsy
  • Ottoman Turkish: طالغین (dalgın) — drowsy
  • Ukrainian: сонний (sonnyj) — drowsy
  • Ukrainian: дрімливий (drimlyvyj) — drowsy
  • Ukrainian: сонливий (sonlyvyj) — drowsy