‖n. [ L. ] (Med.) Profound sleep from which a person can be roused only with difficulty. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. soporatus, p. p. or soporare to put to sleep, fr. sopor a heavy sleep. ] To lay or put to sleep; to stupefy. [ Obs. ] Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. soparifer; sopor a heavy sleep + ferere to bring. ] Causing sleep; somniferous; soporific. “Soporiferous medicine.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Sop`o*rif"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Sop`o*rif"er*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. sopor a heavy sleep (akin to somnus sleep) + facere to make. See Somnolent, Fact. ] Causing sleep; tending to cause sleep; soporiferous; as, the soporific virtues of opium. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Somniferous; narcotic; opiate; anodyne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A medicine, drug, plant, or other agent that has the quality of inducing sleep; a narcotic. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ From Sopor; cf. L. soporus, fr. sopor a heavy sleep; F. soporeux. ] Causing sleep; sleepy. [ 1913 Webster ]