torpor

English

Alternative forms

• torpour

Etymology

From Latin torpor (“numbness”), from torpeō (“I am numb”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɔːpə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtɔɹpɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)pə(ɹ)

Noun

torpor (countable and uncountable, plural torpors)

1. A state of being inactive or stuporous.
2. A state of apathy or lethargy.

   Synonyms: lethargy, sluggishness, languor, torpidity

   • 1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter VII, in The Last Man. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:

     She knew that she was the cause of her husband's utter ruin; and she strung herself to bear the consequences. The reproaches which agony extorted; or worse, cureless, uncomplaining depression, when his mind was sunk in a torpor, not the less painful because it was silent and moveless.

3. (biology) A state similar to hibernation characterised by energy-conserving, very deep sleep.

   Coordinate terms: hibernation, aestivation, cold sleep, hypersleep, suspended animation

Derived terms

• torporific

Related terms

• torpidity
• torpid
• torpidness
• torpedo

Translations

being inactive or stuporous

• Bulgarian: вцепененост (bg) f (vcepenenost)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 遲緩／迟缓 (zh) (chíhuǎn)

• Dutch: verstarring (nl), letargie
• Finnish: velttous (fi), verkkaisuus (fi), tokkuraisuus, horteisuus, hitaus (fi), horros (fi)
• French: torpeur (fr) f
• German: Erstarrung (de) f
• Hebrew: אדישות‎ (he)
• Ido: torporo (io)
• Portuguese: torpor (pt) m
• Russian: оцепене́ние (ru) n (ocepenénije)
• Serbo-Croatian: torpor (sh) f
• Spanish: torpor m
• Tagalog: torpe
• Turkish: uyuşuntu

a state of apathy or lethargy

• Bulgarian: апатия (bg) f (apatija)
• Finnish: saamattomuus (fi), uupumus (fi), välinpitämättömyys (fi), horros (fi)
• German: Torpor (de) m

(biology) a state similar to hibernation characterised by energy-conserving, very deep sleep

• Bulgarian: летаргия (bg) f (letargija)
• Finnish: horros (fi)
• Spanish: torpor m

Latin

Etymology

From torpeō +‎ -or.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈtor.por/, [ˈt̪ɔrpɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈtor.por/, [ˈt̪ɔrpor]

Noun

torpor m (genitive torpōris); third declension

1. numbness, stupefaction
2. sluggishness, listlessness, inactivity

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	torpor	torpōrēs
Genitive	torpōris	torpōrum
Dative	torpōrī	torpōribus
Accusative	torpōrem	torpōrēs
Ablative	torpōre	torpōribus
Vocative	torpor	torpōrēs

Descendants

• → English: torpor
• → French: torpeur
• → Italian: torpore
• → Portuguese: torpor
• → Spanish: torpor

References

• “torpor”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “torpor”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• torpor in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette

Portuguese

Noun

torpor m (plural torpores)

1. torpor (state of being inactive or stuporous)