Soporific

/ˈsɑpəˌrɪfɪk/

/sɒpəˈrɪfɪk/

IPA guide

Other forms: soporifics; soporifically

Something that is soporific is sleep-inducing. Certain medicines, but also extreme coziness, can have a soporific effect.

In the 1680’s, soporific, which doubles as both adjective and noun, was formed from the French soporifique. That word, in turn, came from the Latin sopor “deep sleep.” Beloved Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter once noted that, “It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is 'soporific'."

Definitions of soporific

adjective
inducing sleep

synonyms: hypnagogic, hypnogogic, somniferous, somnific, soporiferous

depressant
capable of depressing physiological or psychological activity or response by a chemical agent
adjective
inducing mental lethargy

synonyms: narcotic, soporiferous

uninteresting
arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement
noun
a drug that induces sleep

synonyms: hypnotic

see moresee less

types:
narcoleptic
a soporific drug that produces an uncontrollable desire to sleep

sleeping capsule, sleeping draught, sleeping pill, sleeping tablet
a soporific drug in the form of a pill (or tablet or capsule)

type of:
drug
a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic

hypnagogue
an agent that induces drowsiness or sleep

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