oscitant
- adjective
- /ˈɑːsɪtənt/
- Archaic
- The professor was disheartened by the oscitant faces in the lecture hall.
Examples
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His oscitant manner suggested he found the discussion quite dull.
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During the lengthy ceremony, the audience appeared increasingly oscitant.
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Don't be oscitant!
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The oscitant students struggled to stay awake during the lecture.
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During the lengthy ceremony, the audience appeared increasingly oscitant.
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His oscitant manner suggested he found the discussion quite dull.
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The professor was disheartened by the oscitant faces in the lecture hall.
Synonyms
Feeling very tired and wanting to close your eyes
Not working or being used
Feeling sleepy and not fully awake, often because you are tired or bored
Being very tired and slow with little interest or energy
Feeling very tired and having no energy
Showing little energy or interest and doing things slowly and carelessly
Not moving and not showing much physical or mental energy
Feeling sleepy or making you want to sleep
To move slowly and have little energy or interest
Sleepy and likely to fall asleep
Having the mouth open because of being tired or bored
A calm, quiet mood that makes you feel sleepy
Not awake and not responding to things around you
Less active than usual in the body or mind
Unwilling to work or help
How Drowsy
Surface Forms
Morphology
oscitant = oscitate (opaque) = oscit + ant
The adjective is formed by a regular suffixation from the verb 'oscitate', but the verb/stem is a rare Latinate form not familiar to typical learners.
Etymology
The word oscitant comes from Latin oscitans and oscitare, which mean 'gaping' or 'to yawn', and from os 'mouth'. So, imagine someone's mouth opening again and again and looking sleepy or bored, which is why oscitant means 'drowsy' or 'inattentive'.