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hypnotic

noun

  1. class of psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia (sleeplessness), or for surgical anesthesia.
L322200 on Wikidata ↗

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L337445 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /hɪpˈnɒ.tɪk/ / /hɪpˈnɑ.tɪk/ / [hɪp̚ˈnɑ.ɾɪk̚]

adj

Etymology: From French hypnotique (“inclined to sleep, soporific”), from Late Latin hypnoticus, from Ancient Greek ὑπνωτικός (hupnōtikós, “inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy”), from ὑπνοῦν (hupnoûn, “to put to sleep”), from ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”).

  1. Of or relating to hypnosis or hypnotism.
  2. Capturing a person's attention to the exclusion of all else, as if placing them into a trance.

    Phyllis St. James' hypnotic "Mystic Stranger" always blows my mind and you'll find it included in this brilliant set by the sadly underrated Ms Haywood as well as the stunning ballad "Someone".

  3. Inducing sleep; soporific.
  4. Dormant.

    hypnotic seeds

noun

Etymology: From French hypnotique (“inclined to sleep, soporific”), from Late Latin hypnoticus, from Ancient Greek ὑπνωτικός (hupnōtikós, “inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy”), from ὑπνοῦν (hupnoûn, “to put to sleep”), from ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”).

  1. A person who is, or can be, hypnotized.
  2. A soporific substance.

    "He's had a strong hypnotic administered to him," said the doctor. "He'll wake perfectly all right in the morning.[…]"