lachrymose

the word 'lachrymose' has a direct lineage from the latin 'lacrimosus', which itself is built from 'lacrima' (a tear). the latin 'lacrima' evolved from the older proto-italic 'dakruma', which is cognate with the greek 'dakry' and ultimately traces back to the proto-indo-european root 'dakru-', meaning tear. the suffix '-osus' in latin, which becomes '-ose' in english, is a productive adjectival former indicating abundance or possession of a quality. therefore, the literal construction 'full of tears' perfectly captures the modern abstract meanings of being prone to weeping or inducing sadness.

Structure: lachrym (tear) + ose (full of) lachrym is derived from the latin word 'lacrima' meaning 'tear'. ose is a latin adjectival suffix meaning 'full of' or 'abounding in'.