SOMNOLENCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does somnolence mean? 

• SOMNOLENCE (noun)
  The noun SOMNOLENCE has 1 sense:

1. a very sleepy state

  Familiarity information: SOMNOLENCE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOMNOLENCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A very sleepy state

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

drowsiness; sleepiness; somnolence

Context example:

sleepiness causes many driving accidents

Hypernyms ("somnolence" is a kind of...):

temporary state (a state that continues for a limited time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "somnolence"):

oscitance; oscitancy (drowsiness and dullness manifested by yawning)

Derivation:

somnolent (inclined to or marked by drowsiness)

 Context examples 

Symptoms usually follow an acute viral infection or immunization and include fever, confusion, somnolence and involuntary movements.

(Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, NCI Thesaurus)

“She might almost personify Britannia,” said he, “with her complete self-absorption and general air of comfortable somnolence. Well, au revoir, Von Bork!”

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)