means To lament is to express deep sorrow or regret, often aloud — through crying, mourning, or a formal song of grief.

from From Latin 'lamentari,' to wail or moan, built on 'lamentum,' a wailing or cry of mourning. The root is thought to be imitative — echoing the very sound of grief, the open-mouthed 'la' of someone weeping. It traveled into English through Old French 'lamenter' in the late Middle Ages, carrying its mourner's voice intact.