lacrimal

[ lak-ruh-muhl ]

adjective

1. lachrymal ( defs 1, 2, 3 ).
2. Also Anatomy. of, relating to, or situated near the organs that secrete tears.

noun

1. lacrimal bone.

lacrimal

/ ˈlækrɪməl /

adjective

1. of or relating to tears or to the glands that secrete tears

Word History and Origins

Origin of lacrimal¹

First recorded in 1535–45; variant of lachrymal

Word History and Origins

Origin of lacrimal¹

C16: from Medieval Latin lachrymālis, from Latin lacrima a tear

Example Sentences

For the new study, researchers administered oxytocin to the dogs’ lacrimal gland, which is responsible for tear secretion.

From New York Times

Even our lacrimal surrogates in Hollywood have been turning their backs on us and toward age-defying procedures that culminate in faces that can no longer approximate our sorrow.

From New York Times

Next are two sets of lacrimal glands that supply the watery tears.

From New York Times

Tear glands, also called lacrimal glands, are a particular challenge to study, says Darlene Dartt, who studies tear production at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston.

From Scientific American

He has a rare type, “a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lacrimal gland,” which threatens his eyesight and his life.

From New York Times