Oneiric

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /oʊˈnaɪ.ɹɪk/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to or characteristic of dreams or the experience of dreaming
2. Connected to the nature or quality of dreams, often evoking dreamlike states
3. Describing aspects that originate from or resemble the qualities of dreams

Etymology: "Oneiric" is a learned formation built from "oneir-", a combining form of the Ancient Greek "oneiros" meaning "dream", plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ic". The Greek ancestor is "oneíreios", meaning "of dreams" or "relating to dreams", which is the same sense the English word carries today. Nothing about the word has drifted: a dream was the root idea from the start. The surprise lies in how little the word has to do with everyday speech. Its pieces are ancient, but the combination is a later English creation, built deliberately by scholars who needed a precise adjective for dream-related matters rather than relying on a looser phrase such as "dreamlike" or "of dreams." Because it is assembled from Greek parts, it sits comfortably beside other scientific and literary vocabulary built from the same classical stock.

Synonyms: dreamlike, dreamy, visionary, fantastical, illusory

Antonyms: realistic, practical, literal, sensible, down-to-earth