Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or located near the organ that produces tears: Pertaining to the structures involved in the secretion and drainage of tears.
   • Of or relating to tears: Concerning the fluid (tears) secreted by the lacrimal glands.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The patient had a blocked lacrimal duct, causing excessive tearing.
  • The lacrimal gland is responsible for tear production.
  • She underwent surgery on her lacrimal sac.

Advanced Usage

• Anatomical Context: The term is primarily used in medical, anatomical, and biological contexts to describe specific structures.
  • The lacrimal apparatus includes the gland, sac, and nasolacrimal duct.
  • The lacrimal bone is a small, fragile bone in the skull.

Variants and Related Words

• Lacrimation (n): The secretion or flow of tears.
  • The chemical caused immediate lacrimation.
• Lacrimate (v, rare/technical): To secrete tears.
• Lachrymal: An alternate, chiefly historical, spelling for 'lacrimal'.

Synonyms

• Tear-related: Pertaining to tears.
• Dacryocystic (adj, highly specific): Relating specifically to the lacrimal sac.

Notes on Meaning

• The adjective lacrimal almost exclusively modifies nouns for anatomical parts (e.g., gland, duct, sac, bone) or processes related to tears.
• It is a technical term and is not typically used in everyday conversation.

Adjective

1. relating to or located near the organ that produces tears
2. of or relating to tears