irredeemable
Meaning
not able to be saved, improved, or corrected.
(of paper currency) not able to be converted into coin.
Structure
Usage
the damage to the company's reputation was irredeemable.
he was considered an irredeemable villain by the public.
historically, some banknotes were issued as irredeemable currency.
Etymology
the word irredeemable is built upon the latin verb redimere, meaning "to buy back" or "to ransom," which itself is a compound of re- ("back") and emere ("to buy, take"). the prefix ir-, a variant of in- used before r, negates the core concept. the suffix -able, indicating capacity, was added in english. thus, the literal meaning "not capable of being bought back" evolved into the modern abstract sense of something beyond recovery, salvation, or correction, applying to both moral states and financial instruments.
Analysis
ir is a latin prefix meaning "not". redeem is from latin redimere, meaning "to buy back". able is a suffix from latin -abilis, indicating capability or worthiness.