Two Words Spelled Tear, and Emotional Tears Differ Chemically
A tear is a drop from the eye. A separate tear means to rip, and the two sound different.
A tear rhyming with *fear* is a drop of fluid from the eye; a tear rhyming with *bear* is a rip. They are unrelated words that happen to share a spelling. And the eye kind divides further: basal tears lubricate constantly, reflex tears flush irritants such as onion vapour, and emotional tears have a measurably different chemistry, containing more protein and hormones — which is why crying from grief feels different from crying from chopping onions. Humans are the only animal known to weep from emotion.
- A drop from the eye. *Tears of joy.*
- To rip. *Tearing the paper.*
- A rip. *A tear in the cloth.*
- Tearful. *A tearful goodbye.*
- Old English — *tear* and *teran*. *Two sources.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tear | A tear. |
| Verb | tear | Tearing. |
| Past | tore | Tore. |
| Participle | torn | Torn. |
| Adjective | tearful | Tearful. |
- A tear ran down her cheek.Eye.
- He tore the letter up.Ripping.
- Emotional tears differ chemically.Science.
Three kinds of tear
- Basal — constant lubrication of the eye surface
- Reflex — flushing out irritants such as onion vapour or grit
- Emotional — higher in protein and stress hormones
- Only humans are known to weep from emotion
- The tear duct drains excess into the nose, hence a runny nose when crying
The eye drop is Old English *tear*. The rip is Old English *teran*, to tear apart. The two are unrelated.
Are emotional tears different from onion tears?
Yes. Emotional tears contain more protein and stress hormones than the reflex tears that flush out irritants.
Why does crying make your nose run?
Because tear ducts drain excess fluid from the eye into the nasal cavity.