English
hypnotic
Hypnotic comes from French hypnotique ‘inclined to sleep, soporific’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *supnós.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*supnós‘sleep’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*húpnosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὕπνος‘sleep, slumber’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEὑπνόω‘I put to sleep’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEὑπνωτικόςhupnōtikós‘inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEhypnoticus‘of or pertaining to sleep’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthypnotique‘inclined to sleep, soporific’
- Englishearliest quotation 1929hypnotic
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 BCEὕπνος‘sleep, slumber’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEὑπνόω‘I put to sleep’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEὑπνωτικόςhupnōtikós‘inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEhypnoticus‘of or pertaining to sleep’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthypnotique‘inclined to sleep, soporific’
- Englishearliest quotation 1929hypnotic
Earliest quotation: 1929, Agatha Christie: “He's had a strong hypnotic administered to him," said…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *swep- ‘to sleep’
Today it means
adj Of or relating to hypnosis or hypnotism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *supnós / hypnotic