hypnosis

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A trancelike state, artificially induced, in which a person has a heightened suggestibility, and in which suppressed memories may be experienced.
  2. Any of various sleep-like conditions.
  3. The art or skill of hypnotism.

Pronunciation

/hɪpˈnoʊsɪs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-hypnosis.wav

Word forms

hypnosis hypnoses

Etymology

From modern scholarly Ancient Greek ὕπνωσις (húpnōsis), which formation closes the derivational gap between the ancient words ὑπνόω (hupnóō, “I put to sleep”) and ὑπνωτικός (hupnōtikós, “sleep-inducing, soporific”). Ultimately traces back to ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”).

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