lachrymose
/ˈlækrɪmoʊs/
adjective
Origin
Latin
lacrima — tear
Overview
Meaning Now
- Given to weeping; tearful or tending to cause tears.
- Mournful or dismal.
Literal older meaning
full of tears
Language path
Latin → Late Latin → English
Earliest form
lachrymosus
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The spelling 'lachrymose' arose from a mistaken belief that the Latin word 'lacrima' was derived from the Greek 'dakru' via a Greek word starting with 'lachry-', leading to the insertion of an 'h' that does not exist in the classical Latin etymon.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*dakru-
“tear”
- Latin
lacrima
“tear”
Classic Latin form
- Late Latin
lacrymosus
“tearful”
Addition of the suffix -osus
- English
lachrymose
“tearful; mournful”
Adopted via learned borrowing
Connections
Word parts
lacrima
root
tear
-ose
suffix
full of
Related across languages
French
larme
tear
Spanish
lágrima
tear
Explore next
Related to lachrymose
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.