Word of the Week! Soporific Richmond Writing

Word of the Week! Soporific Richmond Writing Here we have a perfect word for late summer, and just today I heard a BBC reporter use it to describe the weather in a small Cuban town. Weather that hot and humid makes one drowsy, which is the nature of anything soporific. This word can also be used to describe the actions of certain drugs. John Locke, in an example from the OED Online, noted the soporifick virtue of opium as early as 1690. With school soon to begin, we might note that our word can describe the effect of a boring anecdote or lecture. The OED catches that usage well with an example from 1727, Hibernian matrons thus of old, Their soporific stories told. So its more than boring. Not everything that bores you makes you drop off.   But in order to keep you awake, Ill end now. Im feeling rather drowsy myself. This blog will continue all summer, so nominate a word by e-mailing me (jessid -at- richmond -dot- edu) or leaving a comment below. See all of our Words of the Week  here. image courtesy of Wikipedia.