lacrimation
C1/C2 / Very RareFormal / Technical / Medical
Definition
Meaning
The secretion or flow of tears, especially as a normal physiological process.
The act of shedding tears; the condition of producing tears, which can be due to emotional response, physical irritation, or a medical condition.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Predominantly used in medical or scientific contexts. Can describe both normal tearing (e.g., from chopping onions) and pathological excessive tearing (epiphora). Distinct from 'weeping', which is primarily emotional.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries a strong technical/clinical connotation. Rarely used in everyday conversation.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general usage in both regions, but slightly more likely to be encountered in medical literature.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Lacrimation is caused by X.The patient experiences lacrimation.X results in/leads to lacrimation.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term is strictly technical.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical, biological, or pharmacological research papers (e.g., 'The side effect of the drug was excessive lacrimation.').
Everyday
Almost never used; 'watering eyes' or 'tearing up' are preferred.
Technical
Primary context. Used in clinical notes, ophthalmology, medical textbooks, and chemical safety sheets describing irritant effects.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The irritant gas caused his eyes to lacrimate profusely.
- The condition can lacrimate the eyes for hours.
American English
- The chemical is known to lacrimate the eyes upon exposure.
- Patients may lacrimate excessively after the procedure.
adverb
British English
- The eyes reacted lacrimationally to the stimulus.
adjective
British English
- The lacrimatory agent was used for crowd control.
- She had a chronic lacrimation problem.
American English
- The lacrimatory effect of the smoke was immediate.
- The report noted the lacrimation response.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My eyes water when I cut onions. (Note: 'lacrimation' is not used at this level).
- Chopping onions always makes my eyes tear up. (Note: 'lacrimation' is not used at this level).
- One common side effect of the eye drops is excessive tearing.
- The patient's symptoms included persistent lacrimation and photophobia.
- The study measured the lacrimation response to various airborne irritants.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'LACRImation' – it shares its root with 'LACRimal' (tear) duct, which is involved in tear production.
Conceptual Metaphor
FLUID PRODUCTION (framing tear secretion as a physiological output system).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'слёзовыделение' – this is a calque and sounds unnatural. The standard medical term is 'слёзотечение' (slyozotecheniye). In general contexts, use 'глаза слезятся' (glaza slezyatsya).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'lacrimation' (missing 'i').
- Using it in casual conversation where simpler terms ('tearing', 'watering eyes') are appropriate, making speech sound stilted.
- Confusing it with 'lachrymose' (which means tearful/sad).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'lacrimation' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Crying' typically implies emotional distress accompanied by tears. 'Lacrimation' is a broader, neutral term for the physiological secretion of tears, which can be due to emotion, irritation, or illness.
There is no difference in meaning. 'Lacrimation' is the more common modern spelling, derived directly from Latin 'lacrima'. 'Lachrymation' is an older, variant spelling influenced by the Latin 'lacrima's older form 'dacry-' via Greek. 'Lacrimation' is preferred in contemporary medical terminology.
Use 'lacrimation' only in formal, technical, or medical writing. In everyday speech, clinical conversations with patients, or general writing, always use 'tearing' or 'watering eyes' for clarity and naturalness.
Yes, but it is exceptionally rare. The verb form 'to lacrimate' exists technically, but it is almost never used. In practice, phrases like 'cause tearing' or 'induce lacrimation' are far more common.