What is the Latin word for nightmare?

The usual Latin words for “nightmare” are incubō, Ephialtēs, Petrōnius; also Măcrŏbĭus, Scrībōnius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“nightmare” in Latin

incubōto lie, sit, or settle in, on or upon; recline; to sit upon to brood or hatch; to abide in; to inhabit Ephialtēsan Athenian statesman; a mythological giant, brother of Otus Petrōniusof or pertaining to the gens Petronia Măcrŏbĭusa Roman grammarian at the end of the fourth century, author of a commentary on Cicero's ScrībōniusGaius Scribonius Curio, a Roman statesman and orator; Scribonius Largus, a Roman physician

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

nightmare

incubo (Petronius): ephialtes (Macrobius): suppressio nocturna (Plin.): to have the nightmare, nocturna suppressione vexari (Plin.); ab incubone deludi (Scribonius, Larg.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for nightmare?: The usual Latin words for “nightmare” are incubō, Ephialtēs, Petrōnius; also Măcrŏbĭus, Scrībōnius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.