SOPORIFIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does soporific mean? 

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

1. a drug that induces sleep

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

• SOPORIFIC (adjective)
  The adjective SOPORIFIC has 2 senses:

1. sleep inducing

2. inducing mental lethargy

  Familiarity information: SOPORIFIC used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOPORIFIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A drug that induces sleep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

hypnotic; soporific

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

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

hypnagogue (an agent that induces drowsiness or sleep)

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

narcoleptic (a soporific drug that produces an uncontrollable desire to sleep)

sleeping capsule; sleeping draught; sleeping pill; sleeping tablet (a soporific drug in the form of a pill (or tablet or capsule))

Derivation:

soporific (inducing mental lethargy)

soporific (sleep inducing)

• SOPORIFIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sleep inducing

Synonyms:

hypnagogic; hypnogogic; somniferous; somnific; soporiferous; soporific

Similar:

depressant (capable of depressing physiological or psychological activity or response by a chemical agent)

Derivation:

soporific (a drug that induces sleep)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Inducing mental lethargy

Synonyms:

narcotic; soporiferous; soporific

Context example:

a narcotic speech

Similar:

uninteresting (arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement)

Derivation:

soporific (a drug that induces sleep)

 Context examples 

Even when we finally retired for the night, the inevitable Miss Gryce was still my companion: we had only a short end of candle in our candlestick, and I dreaded lest she should talk till it was all burnt out; fortunately, however, the heavy supper she had eaten produced a soporific effect: she was already snoring before I had finished undressing.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)