Lament
/ləˈmɛnt/noun
To express sorrow, mourning, or regret.
Did you know?In ancient times, lamentation was often a ritual act, believed to call upon the spirits to aid the grieving process or bring peace to the dead.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lemen-
“to lament, wail, or cry out in grief.”
Latin
Latin
lamentari
“to wail, mourn, express sorrow.”
Old French
Old French
lamenter
“to express sorrow, to mourn.”
Middle English
Middle English
lamenten
“to mourn, to express sorrow.”
Modern English
English
lament
“to express grief or sorrow, now commonly in a poetic or literary context.”
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