Lacrimations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of tears shed in expression of sorrow or grief
2. The act of crying often associated with deep emotional release
3. An emotional outpouring where tears symbolize loss or distress

Etymology: "Lacrimations" is simply the plural of "lacrimation," which comes from Latin "lacrimātiō," a noun meaning the shedding of tears. That Latin noun is built from "lacrima," "tear," and the suffix "-ātiō," which turns a verb into a noun of action, so the word literally names the act of weeping. English took the form through the verb "lacrimate," to shed tears, and the suffix "-ion," which follows the same pattern as words like "creation" or "relation." The plural form follows the usual English rule for nouns ending in "-ion," adding "-s" to the singular. Because "lacrimation" is a rare, technical-sounding term, most writers reach for it when they want a formal or clinical tone for crying, and the plural is used when describing several such episodes or outbursts in turn.