Oneironauts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who explore and navigate dreams, often with the goal of gaining awareness or control within the dream state
2. People who engage in the practice of lucid dreaming, experiencing and exploring their dreams consciously
3. Dream travelers who intentionally manipulate their dream experiences to better understand their subconscious mind

Etymology: Plural of "oneironaut," a noun built from the Greek "oneiros," meaning "dream," combined with "-naut," from the Greek "nautes," meaning "sailor." The second element traces back to "naus," meaning "ship," so the combined sense is a dream-voyager, someone who sails through the realm of dreams. The "-naut" ending is the same one found in "astronaut" and "aquanaut," where it marks a traveller into a particular domain, whether space or the sea. Attaching it to "oneiro-," the combining form of "oneiros," produces a term for those who travel into dreams rather than across oceans or skies.