dakry

Dakry is a linguistic and medical root derived from the Greek dakry (δάκρυ), meaning tear. In English, the root is usually rendered as dacry- or dacr-, with dakry appearing mainly in transliterations from Greek or in historical texts. It is used to form terms related to tears and the lacrimal (tear) system.

In medical terminology, the dakry- or dacry- prefix appears in several terms connected to tears and the lacrimal apparatus, such as dacryalgia (pain in the lacrimal region), dacryostenosis (narrowing of the tear duct), dacryocystitis (inflammation of the lacrimal sac), dacryoadenitis (inflammation of the lacrimal gland), and dacryorrhea (discharge of tears). The study of tears and the lacrimal apparatus is called dacryology. In modern ophthalmology, the form dacry- is generally preferred, while dakry- remains common in transliterations from Greek or in older literature.

Beyond medicine, the root appears in linguistics and classical studies to form terms related to tears or tear production. It is distinct from related terms based on the Latin lacrima, which also means tear but derives from a different etymological route.

See also lacrimal apparatus, lacrimation, tear, and dacryology.