lacrima

Lacrima is a Latin noun meaning tear. In modern usage it appears in anatomy, linguistics, and cultural contexts as a reference to tears or things associated with tears. The term has given rise to a family of related words and prefixes in various languages and medical terminology.

In language and etymology, lacrima is the source of the English root lacrim-, seen in terms such as lacrimal (relating to tears or the tear-producing apparatus) and lacrimation (the production and release of tears). Its cognates appear across Romance languages, for example Italian lacrima, Spanish lágrima, and Portuguese lágrima, all meaning tear. The root is ultimately linked to the Greek dakryon (tear), a common source for related medical and biological terms, such as dacryology and the lacrimal apparatus.

In anatomy, lacrima refers to the collection of structures that produce and drain tears. The lacrimal glands secrete the tear film, which coats the eye to lubricate, nourish, and protect the surface. Tears are drained through the lacrimal puncta and canaliculi into the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct, ultimately reaching the nasal cavity. The tear film itself consists of lipid, aqueous, and mucin layers, providing lubrication, antimicrobial properties, and a smooth optical surface.

In culture, the phrase lacrima Christi—meaning “Tears of Christ”—has been used in references to wines and religious or literary symbolism. Beyond these, lacrima appears as a poetic or descriptive term for tears in various languages and texts.

See also: Lacrimal gland, Lacrimal apparatus, Tear film, Dakryology.