lachrymose English · revision 1268

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlækrɪˌməʊs/, /ˈlækrɪˌməʊz/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlækrəˌmoʊs/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|lacrimosus|t=tearful, sorrowful]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''lacrima'' “tear”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a dialect-altered borrowing of Greek ''dákruma'' “tear”.^(Etymonline) The ''-ch-'' and ''-y-'' spellings arose from medieval spelling habits and the former belief that the word was Greek.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[lachrymal]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Tear-like; exuding in drops (1661).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “given to tears, tearful” is from 1727,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) and “mournful, tending to cause tears” from 1822.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Etymonline explains the change of Greek ''d'' to Latin ''l'' as the so-called Sabine ''l''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1661 – tear-like.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1727 – tearful.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1822 – mournful.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Weeping or inclined to weep; [[tearful]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Causing or tending to cause tears; [[mournful]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lachrymosely]]

+ * [[lachrymosity]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lachrymatory]]

+ * [[lachrymal]]

+ * [[tear]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}