maudlin

Maudlin comes from Middle English Maudelen, a dialectal pronunciation of the name Mary Magdalene, who was often depicted weeping. That name traveled through Old French Madelaine, from Late Latin Magdalena.

The name, tied to depictions of tearful weeping, gradually shifted from a proper name into an ordinary adjective describing anyone overcome with sentimental or self-pitying tears.

Maudlin shares its root with the name Madeleine, both descending from the same Old French form Madelaine.