weeper: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, Archaic, Formal, Specialist (mourning jewelry context)
Quick answer
What does “weeper” mean?
A person who cries or sheds tears.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who cries or sheds tears.
1. Something that causes weeping or grief. 2. In a historical/literary context, a professional mourner hired to weep at a funeral. 3. A small ornamental figure depicted weeping, used in Victorian mourning jewelry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The 'professional mourner' sense may be more culturally recognized in contexts discussing British Victorian history or anthropology.
Connotations
In both varieties, the word is dated and carries a literary, dramatic, or historical feel.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialized in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “weeper” in a Sentence
[be] a weeper[hired/employed] as a weeper[describe/portray] someone as a weeperVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in historical, anthropological, or art history texts discussing mourning rituals or Victorian culture.
Everyday
Virtually unused in casual conversation. May be used humorously or in jest to describe someone who cries easily.
Technical
A term in the study of mourning jewelry (art history/decorative arts).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “weeper”
- Using 'weeper' to describe someone who cries a little in everyday contexts (it sounds archaic/dramatic).
- Misspelling as 'wiper'.
- Assuming it is a common, modern word for a sad person.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it literally means that, it is archaic and rarely used in modern English for a simple 'crier'. More common are phrases like 'he/she cried a lot' or 'they're a crier'.
It refers to a small, carved figure (often of a weeping woman or angel) set into mourning jewelry like brooches or lockets, popular during the Victorian era.
All weepers (in the crying sense) at a funeral are mourners, but a 'professional weeper' or 'hired weeper' is specifically paid to perform grief, while 'mourner' refers to any attendee grieving, sincerely or otherwise.
No. 'Weeper' is only a noun. The verb form is 'to weep'.
A person who cries or sheds tears.
Weeper is usually literary, archaic, formal, specialist (mourning jewelry context) in register.
Weeper: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwiːpə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwiːpər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. 'Weeping willow' is a related but distinct idiom.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a Victorian 'Weeper' hired to WEEP at a funeral, wearing a brooch with a tiny, WEEPing angel on it.
Conceptual Metaphor
GRIEF IS A PERFORMED JOB / TEARS ARE A COMMODITY (for the professional mourner sense).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'weeper' most accurately used?