semisomnus Latin · revision 34192

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la sēmi-, la somnus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [seː.mɪˈsɔm.nʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [se.miˈs̬ɔm.nus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sēmisomnus''' (feminine sēmisomna, neuter sēmisomnum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Also third-declension ''sēmisomnis'', ''sēmisomne'', as in Seneca.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|sēmi-|somnus|t1=half|t2=sleep]], with the adjective endings ⟨-us⟩ and ⟨-is⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) De Vaan traces the noun to [[itc-pro|*swe/opno-|t=sleep]] and [[ine-pro|*suépno-|t=sleep]], beside ⟨*suopno-⟩, and compares [[grc|ὕπνος|tr=húpnos]], [[sa|स्वप्न|tr=svápna-|t=sleep, dream]] and [[sga|súan|t=sleep]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found first in Plautus, in the ''Curculio''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means half asleep, [[m|en|drowsy]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero, Sallust, Livy and Tacitus use it,^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) and Seneca has ''semisomnes crapulā'', half asleep with drink.^(Conte 2010) Caelius, quoted by Quintilian, has ''semisomnus sopor'', a half-sleep,^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010) and Phaedrus ''semisomno corde'', absent-mindedly.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ In British medieval Latin it can also suggest laziness, and glossaries put it beside words for sluggish and idle.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in the ''Curculio''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in a letter.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 15 BC–c. 50 AD – Phaedrus has ''semisomno corde''.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses the form ''semisomnis''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Half [[m|en|asleep]], drowsy, sleepy.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''semisomnus sopor'': a half-sleep, [[m|en|doze]].^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''semisomno corde'': absent-mindedly.^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|sluggish|alt=Sluggish]], lazy.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[somnus]]

+ * [[sēmi-]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}