dormitive
UK/ˈdɔːmitiv/US/'dɒ:mitiv/
Definitions
adj.
Tending to cause or induce sleep; soporific
催眠的，使人入睡的
n.
A medicine or agent that promotes sleep
催眠药，安眠药剂
Root Breakdown
Root-deriveddormīre ('to sleep') + -ive ('tending to') = 'tending to cause sleep.' A rare, mostly medical or literary word. It is famous from Molière's joke about a 'dormitive virtue' (vertu dormitive) — mocking doctors who 'explain' that opium causes sleep because it has a sleep-causing power, which explains nothing at all.
Root dorm still carries 5 more wordsExample Sentences
- 1.
The herb was once prescribed for its mild dormitive effect.
- 2.
Critics joked that the dull lecture had a powerful dormitive quality.