Hypnotic
Inducing a trance-like state, from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep who could lull even Zeus into slumber.
The Meaning of Hypnotic
Hypnos, the personification of sleep, lived in a cave of perpetual darkness where poppies grew at the entrance and the river Lethe murmured through the gloom. He could put any being to sleep — mortal or divine — by touching them with his wings, dripping water from a branch dipped in the Lethe, or waving his wand. Hera twice persuaded him to put Zeus to sleep during the Trojan War. He was the father of the Oneiroi, the dream spirits, including Morpheus who could take human shape in dreams. In the 1840s, Scottish surgeon James Braid borrowed "Hypnos" to coin "hypnotism" for the trance state he induced in patients, replacing the earlier term "mesmerism." The adjective "hypnotic" now describes anything that induces a trance-like fascination: a rhythmic drumbeat, a swinging pendulum, or a speaker whose cadence lulls an audience into passive absorption.
Parents
Nyx and Erebus
Symbols
Fun Fact
James Braid coined "hypnotism" in 1843 specifically because Hypnos put people to sleep with a touch — he wanted a medical-sounding Greek term to replace the discredited "mesmerism."
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Hypnos
💭 conceptGod of sleep
The gentle god of sleep and twin brother of Thanatos (Death). Hypnos dwelt in a dark cave where no light or sound could penetrate, surrounded by poppies.
Morpheus
💭 conceptGod of dreams
The god of dreams who appeared in the sleeping visions of mortals, taking human form. Son of Hypnos (Sleep), he shaped the dreams of kings and commoners alike.
Ekstasis
💭 conceptReligion and Mysticism
The experience of standing outside oneself, the Greek term for mystical transport and altered consciousness.
Enthousiasmos
💭 conceptReligion and Inspiration
The state of being possessed by a god, the original meaning of divine inspiration in Greek religion.
God of Sleep
💭 conceptSleep, rest, dreams
Hypnos personifies sleep itself, dwelling in a dark cave where the river Lethe flows and poppies bloom.
Morphine
💭 conceptPharmacology and medicine
A powerful opiate painkiller named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, because of its ability to induce a deep, dream-like state of unconsciousness
Psyche
💭 conceptThe breath-soul that animates and survives death
The Greek concept of the soul — originally meaning breath, it evolved to encompass mind, self, and the immortal essence.
Psyche
💭 conceptLanguage and psychology
An English word meaning the human mind or soul, derived from Psyche, the mortal woman whose love for Eros and trials among the gods became an allegory for the soul's journey
Divination
💭 conceptReligion
The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or hidden things through divine communication
Mania
💭 conceptMadness and Prophecy
The Greek concept of divinely inspired madness, distinguished from ordinary insanity.
Narcissistic Personality
💭 conceptPsychology and mythology
A psychological condition characterised by grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy, named after Narcissus, the beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection
Goddess of Night
💭 conceptNight, darkness, shadows, mystery
Nyx is the primordial goddess of night, so powerful that even Zeus avoids provoking her wrath.