insomnia

Where does the word "insomnia" come from? It comes from Latin insomnis, and was adopted directly into English (1620s).

Insomnia’s story begins in Latin: insomnis meant “sleepless.” Sleepless, from in- (without) and somnus (sleep). It reached English by 1620s as insomnia. Settled as the medical word for the inability to sleep. Today, insomnia means a persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient insomnis "sleepless", sleepless, from in- (without) and somnus (sleep).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1620s insomnia "a persistent inability to sleep", settled as the medical word for the inability to sleep.