lachrymose

adjective

lach·​ry·​mose ˈla-krə-ˌmōs How to pronounce lachrymose (audio)
1
: given to tears or weeping : tearful
tended to become lachrymose when he was drunk
2
: tending to cause tears : mournful
a lachrymose drama
lachrymosely adverb
lachrymosity noun

Did you know?

The misty-eyed souls among us will appreciate lachrymose, a word that can describe a person who tends to cry often, or an emotional trigger that induces tears. Those more stoic in disposition might be moved (though not to tears) to learn that lachrymose also has a scientific counterpart: its older cousin lachrymal can mean “of, relating to, or marked by tears,” or (usually with the alternative spelling lacrimal) “of, relating to, or being glands that produce tears.” Both lachrymose and lachrymal come from the Latin noun lacrima, meaning “tear.”

Example Sentences

a drama with a lachrymose hero the more lachrymose mourners at the funeral required a steady supply of tissues

Word History

Etymology

Latin lacrimosus, from lacrima

First Known Use

circa 1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lachrymose was circa 1727

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Dictionary Entries Near lachrymose

Cite this Entry

“Lachrymose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lachrymose. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Kids Definition

lachrymose

adjective
lach·​ry·​mose ˈlak-rə-ˌmōs How to pronounce lachrymose (audio)
1
: tending to weep : tearful
2
: tending to cause tears : mournful
a lachrymose drama
lachrymosely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on lachrymose

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