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hypnotic

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hyp⋅not⋅ic

[hip-not-ik]
–adjective
1. of or pertaining to hypnosis or hypnotism.
2. inducing or like something that induces hypnosis.
3. susceptible to hypnotism, as a person.
4. inducing sleep.
–noun
5. an agent or drug that produces sleep; sedative.
6. a person who is susceptible to hypnosis.
7. a person under the influence of hypnotism.

Origin:
1680–90; < LL hypnōticus < Gk hypnōtikós sleep-inducing, narcotic, equiv. to hypnō- (var. s. of hypnoûn to put to sleep; see Hypnos ) + -tikos -tic


hyp⋅not⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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hyp·not·ic   (hĭp-nŏt'ĭk)   
adj.  
    1. Of or relating to hypnosis.

    2. Of or relating to hypnotism.

  1. Inducing or tending to induce sleep; soporific: read the bedtime story in a hypnotic voice.

n.  
    1. A person who is hypnotized.

    2. A person who can be hypnotized.

  1. An agent that causes sleep; a soporific.


[French hypnotique, from Late Latin hypnōticus, inducing sleep, from Greek hupnōtikos, from hupnoun, to put to sleep, from hupnos, sleep; see swep- in Indo-European roots.]
hyp·not'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

hypnotic 
1625, "inducing sleep," originally used of drugs, from Fr. hypnotique "inclined to sleep, soporific," from L.L. hypnoticus, from Gk. hypnotikos "inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy," from hypnoun "put to sleep," from hypnos "sleep" (see somnolence). Modern sense of "induced trance" first recorded in Eng. 1843, along with hypnotist, hypnotize, all coined by Dr. James Braid.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1hyp·not·ic
Pronunciation: hip-'nät-ik
Function: adjective
1 : tending to produce sleep : SOPORIFIC
2 : of or relating to hypnosis or hypnotism —hyp·not·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb

Main Entry: 2hypnotic
Function: noun
1 : a sleep-inducing agent : SOPORIFIC
2 : one that is or can be hypnotized
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

hypnotic hyp·not·ic (hĭp-nŏt'ĭk)
adj.

  1. Of or relating to hypnotism or hypnosis.

  2. Inducing or tending to induce sleep; soporific.

n.
An agent that causes sleep.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia

hypnotic

chemical substance used to reduce tension and anxiety and induce calm (sedative effect) or to induce sleep (hypnotic effect). Most such drugs exert a quieting or calming effect at low doses and a sleep-inducing effect in larger doses. Sedative-hypnotic drugs tend to depress the central nervous system. Since these actions can be obtained with other drugs, such as opiates, the distinctive characteristic of sedative-hypnotics is their selective ability to achieve their effects without affecting mood or reducing sensitivity to pain.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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