somniloquy
- noun
- /sɑːmˈnɪləkwɪ/
- Specialized
- His somniloquy kept his roommate awake throughout the night.
Examples
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She recorded her somniloquy to learn if she revealed any secrets while asleep.
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Episodes of somniloquy are often harmless but can be surprising to family members.
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His somniloquy often keeps me awake at night.
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The doctor explained that somniloquy is common in children.
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Maria was confused when she heard her brother's somniloquy in the middle of the night.
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Doctors say that somniloquy is a normal occurrence and usually requires no treatment.
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During his somniloquy, he often spoke about his childhood adventures.
Synonyms
Saying words out loud while you are not awake and without knowing it
Talking in your sleep without knowing it
Surface Forms
Morphology
somniloquy = somni + loquy
The word is a learned formation from Latin combining forms 'somni-' (sleep) and '-loquy' (speak) that are unfamiliar and non‑productive for typical learners, so the meaning is not transparently derived from known English base words.
Etymology
Somniloquy comes from the Latin parts somni- ('sleep') and -loquy ('speak'), so it literally means 'sleep-speak' and is used for talking while asleep.