Teares

Teares is an archaic or poetic spelling of the noun tears, the droplets that come from the eye, and is found primarily in historical or literary texts. In modern English, the standard plural form is tears; teares represents an older orthographic convention rather than a distinct word.

History and usage

The form teares appears in Early Modern English and earlier, especially in poetry, religious writings, and chronicles. Editors of historical works may reproduce teares to reflect the period language and meter or to convey a sense of antiquity. In everyday modern writing, teares is generally avoided in favor of tears.

Spelling and pronunciation

The spelling teares uses the ea digraph and a final -es ending, typical of plural forms seen in older English orthography. The pronunciation of teares would often align with that of tears in many dialects, though exact sounds varied with time and place. The difference is primarily orthographic rather than a change in meaning.

Relation to other terms

Tears (modern spelling) is the contemporary form for both singular and plural in most varieties of English, while teares is kept in quotations, editions, and studies aiming to preserve historical authenticity. The word also connects to related terms in the study of lachrymal physiology and literature, such as lachrymal, lachrymalia, and terms for crying in sacred and poetic contexts.

See also

Tears; lachrymal; Early Modern English orthography.