lachrymose

lachrymose
lachrymose 1660s, "tear-like," from L. lacrimosus "tearful, sorrowful, weeping," also "causing tears, lamentable," from lacrima "tear," a dialect-altered borrowing of Gk. dakryma "tear," from dakryein "to shed tears," from dakry "tear," from PIE *dakru-/*draku- (see TEAR (Cf. tear) (n.)). Meaning "given to tears, tearful" is first attested 1727; meaning "of a mournful character" is from 1822. The -d- to -l- alteration in Latin is the so-called "Sabine -L-," Cf. L. olere "smell," from root of ODOR (Cf. odor), and Ulixes, the Latin form of Greek Odysseus. The Medieval Latin practice of writing -ch- for -c- before Latin -r- also altered ANCHOR (Cf. anchor), PULCHRITUDE (Cf. pulchritude), SEPULCHRE (Cf. sepulchre). The -y- is pedantic, from belief in a Greek origin. M.E. had lacrymable "tearful" (mid-15c.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Lachrymose — Lach ry*mose , a. [L. lacrymosus, better lacrimosus, fr. lacrima, lacruma (also badly spelt lachryma) a tear, for older dacrima, akin to E. tear. See {Tear} the secretion.] Generating or shedding tears; given to shedding tears; suffused with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lachrymose — [lak′rəmōs΄] adj. [L lacrimosus < lacrima, TEAR2] 1. inclined to shed many tears; tearful 2. causing tears; sad [a lachrymose tale] lachrymosely adv …   English World dictionary

  • lachrymose — index disconsolate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • lachrymose — ► ADJECTIVE formal or literary 1) tearful. 2) inducing tears; sad …   English terms dictionary

  • lachrymose — [[t]læ̱krɪmoʊs, moʊz[/t]] ADJ GRADED Someone who is lachrymose cries very easily and very often. [LITERARY] ...the tears of lachrymose mourners …   English dictionary

  • lachrymose — adjective formal 1 often crying; tearful: Avril was feeling tired and lachrymose. 2 making you feel sad: lachrymose drama …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • lachrymose — lach|ry|mose [ lækrə,mous ] adjective LITERARY someone who is lachrymose is very sad or crying a. very sad or making you cry …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • lachrymose — UK [ˈlækrɪməʊs] / US [ˈlækrəˌmoʊs] adjective literary a) someone who is lachrymose is very sad or is crying b) very sad, or making you cry …   English dictionary

  • lachrymose — adjective Etymology: Latin lacrimosus, from lacrima Date: circa 1727 1. given to tears or weeping ; tearful 2. tending to cause tears ; mournful • lachrymosely adverb • lachrymosity noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • lachrymose — lachrymosely, adv. lachrymosity /lak reuh mos i tee/, n. /lak reuh mohs /, adj. 1. suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful. 2. given to shedding tears readily; tearful. [1655 65; < L lacrimosus, equiv. to lacrim(a) tear (see LACHRYMAL)… …   Universalium

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