oscitantadj.
/ˈɒsᵻt(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˈɑsətnt/, /ˈɑsədənt/ Now rare.
Yawning; drowsy, sleepy; dull, indolent, negligent.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > [adjective] > through drowsiness
oscitant1625
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > sleep > drowsiness > [adjective]
winkinga1000
slummy?c1225
anappedc1300
sleepya1325
heavy1382
slumberyc1386
sleepful1398
peisant1484
slumberous1495
drowsy1530
sleepish1530
sleepery1535
slumberinga1538
somnolent1547
heavy-headed1552
drowsy-headed1576
narrow-eyed1607
soporiferous1607
oscitant1625
nodding1631
Morphean1641
dormious1656
somniculous1656
dozed1659
drowsed1667
peeping1673
dozy1693
peepy1699
somniferous1798
noddy1801
dozing1820
head-nodding1832
snory1837
soporific1841
somnolescent1845
swodder1847
adrowse1848
snoozy1877
slumbersome1884
1625 J. King Davids Strait 18 in Bp. H. King & J. King 2 Serm. They thinke it too long a taske for so short a life,..they growe oscitant, and will peruse none.
1647 Word for Army in Harl. Misc. (1745) V. 572 An oscitant and untrussed Kind of Deportment in all Men towards publick Affairs.
1690 R. Boyle Christian Virtuoso i. 16 Perfunctory looks of Oscitant or Unskilful Beholders.
1723 R. Blackmore Alfred vi. 192 No venerable Schools of Learning rise To form the Mind in soft Sicilia's Skies, But oscitant supine and dull of Mind Letters they mock and Sciences refin'd.
1809 S. T. Coleridge Let. to T. Poole in Lett. (1895) 551 Southey, who has been my corrector, has been strangely oscitant, or..has not understood the sentences.
1830 W. L. Bowles Life Bp. Ken I. 201 Obese Bishops, oscitant Deans, and ‘unworking’ Clergy!
2002 Re: View from Concerned Forum Members in tx.guns (Usenet newsgroup) 29 Apr. At least you wouldn't be as boring as you are oscitant.
Derivatives
ˈoscitantly adv. now rare drowsily, indolently.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > [adverb] > drowsily
oscitantly1645
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > sleep > drowsiness > [adverb]
drowsily1581
sleepily1607
somnolently1615
sleepingly1638
oscitantly1645
slumberously1816
dozingly1831
comatosely1859
dozily1861
1645 E. Blackwell Caveat for Magistrates 9 That they doe it..diligently; not oscitantly, sluggishly, slothfully, sleepily.
1653 H. More Second Lash of Alazonomastix sig. A5 Which those drowsie Nodders over the Letter of the Scripture have very oscitantly collected.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 331 These busy Tutors of Mankind, who upbraid the slothful and oscitantly idle.
1857 Ladies' Repository Dec. 739/1 Valleys carpeted with a grassy sod, and bespangled with cowslips, and with daisies, over which herds oscitantly graze.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1625