lachrymal

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: lach=ry=mal

CIDE DICTIONARY

lachrymal, a. [Cf. F. lacrymal. See Lachrymose.].

•  Of or pertaining to tears; as, lachrymal effusions.  [1913 Webster]
•  Pertaining to, or secreting, tears; as, the lachrymal gland.  [1913 Webster]
•  Pertaining to the lachrymal{2} organs; as, lachrymal bone; lachrymal duct.  [1913 Webster]

lachrymal, n. 

 See Lachrymatory.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

lachrymal, adj. & n. (also lacrimal, lacrymal)
--adj.
1 literary of or for tears.
2 (usu. as lacrimal) Anat. concerned in the secretion of tears (lacrimal canal; lacrimal duct).
--n.
1 = lachrymal vase.
2 (in pl.) (usu. as lacrimals) the lacrimal organs.

Idiom

lachrymal vase hist. a phial holding the tears of mourners at a funeral.

Etymology

ME f. med.L lachrymalis f. L lacrima tear

THESAURUS

lachrymal

bloody, blubbering, chylifactive, chylifactory, chylific, crying, dissolved in tears, excretory, humoral, ichorous, in tears, lachrymose, lacrimatory, lactational, lacteal, lacteous, phlegmy, purulent, pussy, ready to cry, rheumy, salivant, salivary, salivous, sanious, secretional, secretive, secretory, seminal, serous, sialagogic, sniveling, sobbing, spermatic, suppurated, suppurating, suppurative, tearful, tearlike, teary, watering, watery, weeping, weepy, whimpering, with eyes suffused