incurious
UK[ɪnˈkjʊə.ri.əs]US[ɪnˈkjʊr.i.əs]
adj
lacking curiosity or interest; indifferent or unconcerned.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
curious
in
not
curious
eager to know
Etymology
the word "incurious" is a straightforward neoclassical formation, combining the latin negative prefix "in-" with the adjective "curious." the latin root "cura," meaning "care" or "concern," underpins "curious," which originally conveyed diligent attention. by adding the privative prefix, the compound directly negates this quality, creating a term that literally means "without care or concern to know." this logical construction entered english in the late 16th century to describe a specific intellectual or emotional disengagement, preserving the clear semantic opposition between curiosity and its absence.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + curious (eager to know)
- in: a latin prefix meaning "not" or "without," functioning as a negative particle.
- curious: from latin 'curiosus' meaning "careful, diligent, inquisitive." in english, it functions as the base adjective meaning "eager to know or learn something."
Examples
she was strangely incurious about the details of her own family history.
his incurious attitude towards world events often frustrated his more engaged friends.
the guide was met with an incurious silence from the bored students.