Definition
Crying or on the verge of crying, filled with tears. Characterized by or causing emotional distress that leads to weeping.
Etymology
From Middle English 'tere' (tear) plus suffix '-ful' (full of). The word combines the physical manifestation of crying with the emotional state that produces it, dating to medieval English.
Kelly Says
Humans are the only animals that cry emotional tears—while other animals produce tears for eye lubrication, only humans weep from sadness, joy, or other intense emotions! Scientists still debate why we evolved this unique response, but tears contain different chemical compositions depending on whether they're from emotion, irritation, or basic eye maintenance.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንቆቅል ያለ
en-koh-kil yah-leh
ARالعربية
دمعي
dah-mah-ee
BNবাংলা
অশ্রুপূর্ণ
ashru-purno
CACatalà
ploral
ploh-rah-l
CSČeština
slzavý
zhlah-vee
DADansk
tårevædet
toh-reh-vay-deht
DEDeutsch
tränenvoll
TRAH-neh-n-vohl
ELΕλληνικά
δακρύβρεχτος
thah-kree-vreh-khtos
ESEspañol
lloroso
yoh-roh-soh
FAفارسی
اشکبار
ashk-bah-r
FISuomi
kyynelten
kyoo-neh-ten
FRFrançais
pleureur
pluh-rehr
GUGU
આંસુભર્યો
aansoo-bharyo
HAHA
hawaye da yawa
hah-wah-yeh dah yah-wah
HEעברית
דמעות
dah-mah-oot
HIहिन्दी
आंसू भरा
aansoo bhara
HUMagyar
könnyes
koh-nee-esh
IDBahasa Indonesia
penuh air mata
peh-noo ah-ir mah-tah
IGIG
na mmiri anya
nah mee-mee ah-nyah
ITItaliano
lagrimoso
lah-gree-moh-zoh
KKKK
көз жасы толы
kohz zhah-sy toh-ly
KMKM
មានទឹកភ្នែក
mee-an teuk pneak
MRMR
अश्रुपूर्ण
ashru-purn
MSBahasa Melayu
penuh air mata
peh-noo ah-ir mah-tah
MYမြန်မာ
မျက်ရည်ဖြင့်
myeh-reh-pyin
NLNederlands
tranenvol
trah-neh-vohl
NONorsk
tårevædet
toh-reh-vay-deht
PAPA
ਅੱਖ ਦਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਭਰਿਆ
akkh da paani bhariya
PLPolski
łzawy
woo-zah-vy
PTPortuguês
lacrimoso
lah-kree-moh-zoo
RORomână
plin de lacrimi
pleen de lah-kree-mee
RUРусский
слезливый
slee-zlee-vy
SVSvenska
tårögd
tohr-ohgd
SWKiswahili
jikoni machozi
jee-koh-nee mah-choh-zee
TAதமிழ்
கண்ணீர் நிறைந்த
kaṇṇīr niṟainta
TEతెలుగు
కన్నీటితో నిండిన
kannīṭi-tho niṇḍina
THไทย
เต็มไปด้วยน้ำตา
tem pai doo-ee nahm tah
TLTL
punong luha
poo-nohng loo-hah
TRTürkçe
gözyaşlı
goh-zhyahsh-lee
UKУкраїнська
слізливий
slee-zlee-vy
URاردو
آنسو بھرا
aansoo bhara
VITiếng Việt
tràn nước mắt
trahn nuhk-ah măt
YOYO
pẹ̀lẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ omi
peh-leh oh-roh oh-mee
ZUZU
induku eningi
in-doo-koo eh-nee-gee
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Tearfulness has been stereotyped as feminine emotional excess since antiquity. This gendering has been used to dismiss women's legitimate emotional responses (grief, anger, fear) as irrational and untrustworthy.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'tearful' for anyone expressing emotion through tears. Recognize that crying is a valid human response across all genders and avoid using it to dismiss someone's argument or credibility.
Empowerment Note
Women's emotional expression has been pathologized and used to exclude them from decision-making; validating tears as legitimate communication for all people is part of challenging this historical erasure.