insurance
UK[ɪnˈʃʊərəns]US[ɪnˈʃʊrəns]
n
an arrangement by which a company or the state undertakes to provide a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a specified premium.
n
the business of providing such arrangements.
n
a measure taken for protection against a possible event.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
sur
ance
in
in
sur
sure
ance
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'insurance' entered English in the mid-16th century from the Old French 'enseurance', meaning 'assurance, promise; pledge, guarantee'. Its ultimate source is the Latin verb 'securus', a compound of 'se-' (apart, without) and 'cura' (care), literally meaning 'free from care'. The French form incorporated the intensifying prefix 'en-' (from Latin 'in-'), which became 'in-' in English. The core logic of the word is the act or business of making something sure or secure against risk, transforming the abstract concept of 'sureness' into a formal contractual arrangement for financial protection.
Analysis
Structure: in (in) + sur (sure) + ance (noun suffix)
- in: A Latin prefix meaning 'in, into, on, upon'. In this word, it functions as an intensifier.
- sur: From the Latin root 'securus', meaning 'safe, secure, sure'. It is the core root conveying the sense of certainty.
- ance: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin via French, indicating a state, condition, or quality.
Examples
You should take out travel insurance before your trip abroad.
He works in the insurance industry.
Wearing a helmet is good insurance against a serious head injury.