noun
il sonno
sleepy · sleep
Definition & meaning
Sonno means sleep, the natural state of rest in which a person is not fully conscious.
It can also mean sleepiness or the urge to sleep, especially in the expression avere sonno.
Grammar & Word origin
Sonno is a masculine noun: il sonno. Its plural, sonni, is uncommon and usually appears in literary or figurative expressions.
It comes from Latin somnus, meaning “sleep.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- riposo — “rest”; broader than sonno, as rest does not necessarily involve sleeping.
- dormita — “a sleep” or “a nap”; refers to a particular period of sleep.
- veglia — “wakefulness”; the state of being awake, the opposite of sleep.
- insonnia — “insomnia”; difficulty sleeping, rather than simply the opposite of sleep.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Ho tanto sonno questa sera.noun
I am very sleepy this evening.
Il sonno del bambino è profondo.noun
The child's sleep is deep.
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