Etymologically
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lacrimatio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 01:40. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɫa.krɪˈmaː.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [la.kriˈmat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

lacrimātiō f (genitive lacrimātiōnis); third declension[1] Also spelled lacrumātiō.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin lacrimō (“to weep”) + -tiō, from lacrima “tear”.[3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Pliny, and the OLD, Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite him.[4][2][5] Köbler dates Pliny 23/24–79 AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant in medicine the watering of the eyes, lachrymation, as a disease in Pliny, and in the Vulgate weeping.[3][2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means weeping.[6] British Medieval Latin used it for the shedding of tears.[7] English lachrymation is from it.[1]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of watering eyes.[3][4]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of weeping.[5][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) Watering of the eyes, lachrymation.[3][2]
  2. Weeping.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press