English
hypnalis
Hypnalis comes from Medieval Latin ypnalis ‘hypnalis, a legendary asp’, from Ancient Greek ὕπνος ‘sleep’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *supnós.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*supnós‘sleep’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*húpnosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὕπνοςhúpnos‘sleep’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500ypnalis‘hypnalis, a legendary asp’
- Englishtodayhypnalis
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*supnós‘sleep’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*húpnosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὕπνοςhúpnos‘sleep’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500ypnalis‘hypnalis, a legendary asp’
- Englishtodayhypnalis
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *swep- ‘to sleep’
through Ancient Greek ὕπνος ‘sleep’
Today it means
noun legendary asp said to kill people by making them go in an endless sleep or by attacking them in their sleep.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *supnós / hypnalis