somnambulist
/sɔm'næmbjulist/
Definition
Noun: A person who walks or performs other actions while asleep; a sleepwalker.
Usage
The word "somnambulist" is a formal or technical term for a sleepwalker. It is used to describe a person who has a condition (somnambulism) characterized by complex behaviors, such as walking, performed during deep sleep.
Examples
- The famous case involved a somnambulist who was found cooking a meal in his kitchen while fully asleep.
- As a chronic somnambulist, she had to take special precautions, like locking her bedroom door, to ensure her safety at night.
- The doctor explained that the somnambulist typically has no memory of their actions upon waking.
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used metaphorically to describe a person who acts as if in a daze or without conscious awareness, though this is a figurative extension.
- He moved through the crowded airport like a somnambulist, numb from the bad news.
Variants and Related Words
- Somnambulism (noun): The condition or act of sleepwalking.
- Somnambulism is more common in children than in adults.
- Somnambulistic (adjective): Of or relating to sleepwalking.
- She was in a somnambulistic state.
Synonyms
- Sleepwalker
- Noctambulist (a less common synonym)
Idioms and Phrases
- To be a somnambulist: This is not a common idiom but the literal phrase used to state the condition.
- He was diagnosed as a somnambulist.
Noun
-
someone who walks about in their sleep
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