French word

rendormir

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɑ̃dɔʁmiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbfall back asleep

Example

Il s'est rendormi sur le canapé.

He fell back asleep on the couch.

Illustration for rendormir (fall back asleep)

More examples

J'ai réussi à rendormir le bébé après la tétée.

I managed to put the baby back to sleep after feeding.

Core concept

Sleep is restored after an interruption, either by returning to it or by guiding another person back into it.

Common phrases

  • se rendormir

    fall back asleep

  • rendormir quelqu'un

    put someone back to sleep

Similar words

s'endormir: To fall asleep for the first time.
s'assoupir: To doze lightly or begin to nod off.
se recoucher: To get back into bed after waking up.

Definition in French

Recommencer à dormir après un réveil (se rendormir) ou, transitivement, faire retomber quelqu'un dans le sommeil.

Word origin

Rendormir is a re- formation of dormir, whose older source is the Latin verb dormire.

Usage tips

  • The transitive pattern is rendormir quelqu'un, while the returning sleeper uses the pronominal form se rendormir.

Other meanings

  • put ___ back to sleepverb

Opposites

  • se réveillerwake upverb
  • réveiller quelqu'unwake someone upverb

Related words

  • dormeursleepernoun
  • endormissementfalling asleepnoun
  • dormantasleepadjective

Word lists with this word