incurable
UK[ɪnˈkjʊərəbl]US[ɪnˈkjʊrəbl]
adj
(of a disease or condition) not able to be cured
adj
(of a person) not able to be changed, especially in a bad habit or belief
Morpheme Breakdown
in
cur
able
in
not
cur
care
able
capable of
Etymology
The word 'incurable' is built upon the Latin verb 'curare', meaning "to take care of" or "to heal," which itself derives from the noun 'cura' (care, concern). The prefix 'in-' negates this core concept, creating a sense of "not able to be cared for or healed." The suffix '-able' was added through Old French, solidifying the adjective's meaning as "incapable of being cured." Thus, the literal morphemic logic—"not capable of being cared for"—evolved directly into the modern abstract meaning describing diseases or conditions that resist medical treatment, and by extension, people with unchangeable traits.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + cur (care) + able (capable of)
- in: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "not".
- cur: Latin origin, from the root 'cura' meaning "care, concern, treatment".
- able: Latin/French origin, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to".
Examples
The patient was diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer.
He is an incurable optimist who always sees the bright side.
Some viral infections were once considered incurable but are now manageable.