insomnia
- 1A sleeping disorder known for symptoms of restlessness and the inability to sleep.
Chronic insomnia left her exhausted and unable to concentrate at work.
The clinic treats insomnia with a combination of therapy and changes to sleep habits.
Similarsleeplessness, wakefulness
Note
Medicine's name for sleeplessness that has become a condition, borrowed whole from Latin īnsomnia: in- "without" plus somnus "sleep". As a diagnosis it is something a person suffers from, and it can have causes of its own, restless leg syndrome among them. It is usually uncountable, but the plural insomnias is available when different kinds of the disorder are being distinguished.
- 2A temporary inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Jet lag gave him insomnia for the first few nights of the trip.
She blamed her insomnia on the espresso she'd had after dinner.
Similarsleeplessness, wakefulness
Note
Everyday speech borrows the clinical word for a few bad nights, such as jet lag, a late espresso or a worrying week. Because this use is informal, careful or medical writing often says "trouble sleeping" or "a sleepless night" instead and keeps insomnia for the diagnosed disorder. In conversation, though, it is entirely natural.
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Origin
Borrowed from Latin īnsomnia, built from in- ("without") plus somnus ("sleep") and the ending -ia.