Crocodile Tears
/ˈkrɑːkəˌdaɪl tɪrz/noun
Insincere or fake displays of sadness.
Did you know?The phrase comes from a medieval belief that crocodiles wept while luring or devouring prey, a legend that helped turn the animal into a symbol of deceptive emotion.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos)
“A crocodile; possibly originally a lizard or pebble-dwelling creature.”
Latin
Latin
crocodīlus
“A crocodile.”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
lacrimae crocodilī
“The crocodile’s tears; a figurative image of false sorrow.”
14th Century
Middle English
crokodiles teres
“Crocodile tears, meaning feigned grief or deceptive pity.”
Modern English
English
crocodile tears
“Insincere expressions of sadness or remorse.”