Definition

A substance that causes tears to be produced, often used in crowd control or self-defense.

Example

The police used a lachrymator to disperse the protesters.

Conversation

Did you hear about the protest downtown yesterday?

Yeah, I heard they used a lachrymator to disperse the crowd.

That's really intense; I can't believe they resorted to that.

I know, right? It's crazy how things can escalate so quickly.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Lachrymator is formed from "lachryma" (from Latin, meaning tear) and "-ator" (a suffix indicating an agent or something that causes). The word refers to a substance that causes tears or induces crying.

Memory Tip

Think of 'lachryma' meaning tear, and remember that a 'lachrymator' is something that causes tears.

Visually Confused Words