Word: lachrymose (adjective)

Associations

"Lachrymose" means very sad or likely to cry. It is often used to describe people, stories, movies, or situations that make someone feel tearful or emotional.

• The movie was so lachrymose that many people left the theater with tears. Here, it means the movie made people cry.
• She gave a lachrymose speech about her difficult childhood. This means her speech was very emotional and sad.
• The book has a lachrymose ending that touches the hearts of readers. This means the ending is tearful or sorrowful.

A well-known synonym is "tearful." The difference is that "tearful" usually means someone is actually crying or about to cry, while "lachrymose" can describe a sad mood or atmosphere, not only the act of crying.

Substitution

Instead of "lachrymose," you can say:

• tearful (more about actual crying)
• sorrowful (more about deep sadness)
• mournful (more about grief or loss) Using these words changes the feeling slightly. For example, "sorrowful" is more serious sadness, while "lachrymose" can be gentle sadness or emotional.

Deconstruction

The word "lachrymose" comes from Latin "lacrimosus," from "lacrima" meaning "tear." The suffix "-ose" means "full of." So, "lachrymose" literally means "full of tears" or "tearful."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a movie or story that made you feel lachrymose? Why?
• How is "lachrymose" different from just saying "sad"?
• When would you use "lachrymose" instead of "crying" or "tearful"?