Lacrimals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Relating to or denoting the glands and ducts involved in the production of tears and the lacrimal system
2. Describing anatomical structures associated with tear secretion and flow
3. Pertaining to any aspect of tear production, including related tissues and functions in the eye's anatomy

Etymology: "Lacrimals" is the plural of "lacrimal", an adjective that became a noun meaning the glands that produce tears. The adjective was borrowed from Medieval Latin "lacrimālis", built from "lacrima", meaning "a tear", plus the common adjectival suffix "-al". The Latin "lacrima" is the source of the English word "lacrimose", meaning tearful, though the two came into English along different routes. The more surprising fact is that "lacrimal" has a close twin. "Lachrymal" is a doublet, meaning two forms of the same word that arrived by separate paths and were kept as distinct spellings. The "ch" spelling reflects the Greek-influenced form of the Latin root, since Latin "lacrima" was itself linked to Greek "dakryon", and English spelling often preserved that older look. Both spellings are in use today, with "lacrimal" the more common form in anatomical writing.