Etymology
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somniferous (adj.)

"sleep-producing, causing or inducing slumber," c. 1600, with -ous + Latin somnifer, from somni- "sleep" (from PIE root *swep- "to sleep") + ferre "to bear, carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry"). Century Dictionary (1891) has somnifacient. Bailey's dictionary (1721) has somnific.

updated on March 12, 2023

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