agrypnia

Thân thiện

A family keeps an agrypnia in their candlelit home.

Definition

Noun 1. A state of sleeplessness; insomnia. The primary medical and general meaning refers to the condition of being unable to sleep. 2. A vigil; a watch kept during normal sleeping hours. This meaning, often historical or religious, refers to a purposeful period of staying awake, such as for prayer, guard duty, or observance.

Usage

• The term is formal and technical. In modern contexts, it is most commonly used in medical or psychological fields to mean insomnia.
• The historical/religious meaning of vigil is now rare.

Examples

• Medical/General Meaning (Insomnia):
  • The patient's chronic agrypnia was affecting their overall health.
  • Stress and anxiety are common causes of agrypnia.
• Historical/Religious Meaning (Vigil):
  • The monks observed an agrypnia on the eve of the holy feast.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe a state of intense worry or anticipation that prevents rest.
  • The agrypnia of waiting for the news was worse than the news itself.

Variants and Related Words

• Agrypnotic (adjective): Causing or relating to sleeplessness.
  • The agrypnotic effects of the medication were noted.
• Insomnia (noun): The much more common synonym for the sleeplessness meaning.
• Vigil (noun): The common synonym for the watchful observance meaning.

Synonyms

• For sleeplessness: Insomnia, sleeplessness, wakefulness.
• For a watch: Vigil, watch, wake.

Antonyms

• For sleeplessness: Somnolence, sleepiness, hypersonnia.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a vigil before certain feasts (as e.g. Easter)