Dormitive

Origin

French dormitif, from the verb dormir ("to sleep")

Full definition of dormitive

Adjective

1. Causing sleep.
• 1916, John Dewey, S:Democracy and Education/Section 3, But "imitation" throws no light upon why they so act; it repeats the fact as an explanation of itself. It is an explanation of the same order as the famous saying that opium puts men to sleep because of its dormitive power.
• 1673, Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin), Le Malade Imaginere, Act III, Interlude iii, Quare Opium facit dormire: ... Quia est in eo Virtus dormitiva. (Why Opium produces sleep: ... Because there is in it a dormitive power.)

Related terms

• dorm
• dormant
• dormition
• dormitory

Noun

1. A medicine to promote sleep; a soporific or opiate.