Sleepy Meaning
/ˈsliːpi/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjTired; feeling the need for sleep.
adjSuggesting tiredness.
Sentence Examples
I think it is good that books still exist, but they do make me sleepy.
It is because you work too much that you are sleepy all the time.
I feel sleepy when I listen to soft music.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After staying up all night, the student felt very ____ during the morning class.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The warm afternoon sun made him feel very ____, so he decided to take a short nap on the sofa.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *slēpaz Proto-West Germanic *slāp Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Proto-West Germanic *slāpag Old English *slǣpiġ Middle English slepy English sleepy From Middle English slepy, from Old English *slǣpiġ (attested in unslǣpiġ (“sleepless”)), from Proto-West Germanic *slāpag (“sleepy”), equivalent to sleep + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian släipich (“sleepy”), West Frisian sliepich (“sleepy”), dialectal Dutch slapig, slepig (“sleepy”), German Low German slapig, släpig, slöpig (“sleepy”), archaic German schlafig (“sleepy”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"She wak'd her sleepy crew."
— 1700, [John] Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
"At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth, stepped back from the tree and listened. There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision."
— 1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus:
"[T]he yong L. Roger Mortimer, […] hauing corrupted his Keepers, or (as ſome others vvrite) hauing potioned them vvith a ſleepy drinke, eſcaped out of the Tovver of London, getting ouer clearely vvithout any empeachment into France."
— 1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Edward the Second, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John Beale, for John Sudbury and George Humble, […], →OCLC, book IX ([Englands Monarchs] […]), paragraph 49, page 561, column 1:
"'Tis not sleepy business;
But must be looked to speedily and strongly."
— 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
"Experts believe a pandemic welfare programme for poorer Brazilians has encouraged robbers to plan bold raids in sleepy regional cities where bank branches are storing more cash."
— 2021 August 30, “Armed robbers take hostages in deadly bank raids in Brazil city”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After staying up all night, the student felt very ____ during the morning class.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The warm afternoon sun made him feel very ____, so he decided to take a short nap on the sofa.