lacrimal

DEFINITION of lacrimal

The lacrimal system — formally called the lacrimal apparatus — is a network of glands, sacs, canals, and ducts around each eye responsible for tear production and drainage. Tears are produced in the lacrimal gland (located in the upper outer corner of the orbit), sweep across the eye’s surface with each blink, and drain through the lacrimal puncta → canaliculi → lacrimal sac → nasolacrimal duct → into the nasal cavity. Tears serve to lubricate and protect the cornea/conjunctiva, flush foreign particles, and even deliver antimicrobial enzymes (like lysozyme). Pathologies range from dry eye syndrome (insufficient production) to dacryostenosis (duct narrowing) and dacryocystitis (sac infection).

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ETYMOLOGY of lacrimal

latin From Medieval Latin lacrimalis, “pertaining to tears,” derived from Latin lacrima / lacryma, “a tear.” That Latin root is itself a dialect-altered borrowing of Greek δάκρυμα (dákryma), “a tear,” from δάκρυ (dákry), tracing back to Proto-Indo-European dákru- (“tear”). The corrupted spelling variant lachr- (as in lachrymal) crept in during Medieval Latin. Aliases and Components Aliases: Lachrymal, lacrymal (variant spellings, esp. in older literature); the Greek-derived equivalent combining form is o-. Combining forms: o- (Latin-based) and o- (Greek-based) are interchangeable in medical word building, both meaning “tear or tear duct.”

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RELATED TERMS

• Lacrimal gland: Produces aqueous (watery) layer of tears.
• Lacrimal sac (dacryocyst/o-): Reservoir collecting tears before draining into the nasolacrimal duct.
• Lacrimal canaliculi: Small channels draining tears from puncta to lacrimal sac.
• Dacryocystitis: Infection/inflammation of the lacrimal sac.
• Dacryostenosis: Narrowing of the lacrimal (tear) duct.
• Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR): Surgical procedure creating a new tear drainage path into the nasal cavity.
• Epiphora: Excessive tearing/overflow due to blocked drainage.
• nasolacrimal duct: Final drainage channel from lacrimal sac to nasal cavity.
• Lachrymose: Non-medical adjective meaning “tearful” or “given to weeping,” from the same root.

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DERIVATIONS of lacrimal

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Query functionality

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Med roots Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms