lachrymatory

or lac·ri·ma·to·ry

[ lak-ruh-muh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

/ ˈlæk rə məˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

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adjective

of, relating to, or causing the shedding of tears.

noun, plural lach·ry·ma·to·ries.

Also called lachrymal. a small, narrow-necked vase found in ancient Roman tombs, formerly thought to have been used to catch and keep the tears of bereaved friends.

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Origin of lachrymatory

1650–60; (noun) <Medieval Latin lachrymātōrium, equivalent to lachrymā(re) to shed tears + -tōrium-tory²; (adj.) <Medieval Latin lachrymātōrius, equivalent to lachrymā(re) + -tōrius-tory¹; see lachrymal

Words nearby lachrymatory

Lachlan, La Chorrera, Lachryma Christi, lachrymal, lachrymator, lachrymatory, lachrymose, Lachute, lacing, lacinia, laciniate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lachrymatory in a sentence

Roman vessels—a red thing that might have been a lamp, another that might have been a lachrymatory.
The Daisy Chain|Charlotte Yonge
Alluding to the lachrymatory vials, or bottles of tears, which the Romans sometimes put into the urn of a friend.
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies|Samuel Johnson
Investigation showed that a horse's eyes did not shed tears in the presence of even strong lachrymatory gases.
America's Munitions 1917-1918|Benedict Crowell
Between the faces is an object like an ancient lachrymatory.
The Catacombs of Rome|William Henry Withrow

Your uncle is great in the lachrymatory line, Clive Newcome.
The Newcomes|William Makepeace Thackeray

British Dictionary definitions for lachrymatory

lachrymatory

/ (ˈlækrɪmətərɪ, -trɪ) /

noun plural -ries

a small vessel found in ancient tombs, formerly thought to hold the tears of mourners

adjective

a variant spelling of lacrimatory

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012