Etymologically
Log in

somnio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 14:09. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈsɔm.ni.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈsɔm.ni.o][1]

Forms

somniō (present infinitive somniāre, perfect active somniāvī, supine somniātum); first conjugation[1] A deponent somnior is found in Petronius and Apuleius.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin somnium (“dream”) + -ō.[2][1] De Vaan derives somnium and somnus (“sleep”) from Proto-Italic *swe/opnjo- (“dream”) and *swe/opno- (“sleep”), from Proto-Indo-European *suépno- (“sleep”); the noun may continue an Indo-European derivative in ⟨*-io-⟩ or have been formed within Latin.[3] Cognates include Sanskrit स्वप्न (svápna-, “sleep, dream”), Ancient Greek ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”) and Lithuanian sãpnas (“dream”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found first in Plautus,[2][4] who has mirum atque inscitum somniavi somnium, “I have dreamed a strange and absurd dream”, and the question quis somniavit aurum?, “who dreamed of gold?”.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense is to dream, often with a cognate object (somnium somniare) or with de; with an accusative it is to see in a dream, dream of, and Ennius already has it with an accusative and infinitive, videbar somniare med ego esse mortuum, “I seemed to dream that I was dead”.[2][5] In a negative context it means to have not the remotest idea of something.[2] From Plautus on it is also used of someone who talks wildly, to indulge in idle fancies or daydream, especially in vigilans somniare and astans somniare, “to dream while awake, on one's feet”;[2][5] Cicero uses it of the fancies of philosophers who somniant rather than reason.[2][5] In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to dream.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of dreaming and of talking wild nonsense.[2][4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius has it with an accusative and infinitive.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in On Divination.[2][4]
  • before 66 AD – Petronius has the deponent form.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To dream; to see in a dream, dream of.[2][5][6]
  2. In a negative context, to have the remotest conception of.[2]
  3. To indulge in idle fancies, daydream, talk nonsense;[2][5][1] vigilans somniare, to dream while awake.[2][5][1]
  4. To have delusions or idle thoughts about.[2]

Word family

  • somniātor
  • somniālis
  • somniāliter
  • somniculōsē
  • somniculōsus
  • somnifer
  • somnificus
  • somniger
  • somniōsus
  • somnium
  • somnulentia
  • somnus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson