secure
UK[sɪˈkjʊə(r)]US[səˈkjʊr]
adj
free from danger or risk
adj
fixed or fastened so as not to give way, become loose, or be lost
v
to make something safe or certain
v
to obtain or achieve something, especially after effort
Morpheme Breakdown
se
cure
se
without
cure
care
Etymology
The word 'secure' entered English in the 16th century from Latin 'securus', itself a compound of 'se-' (meaning 'without') and 'cura' (meaning 'care, anxiety'). The literal sense was 'free from care or anxiety'. This concept evolved from a psychological state to a more general physical and situational one, leading to the modern meanings of being free from danger or firmly fixed. The underlying logic connects the absence of worry (securus) to a state of safety and stability, where one has no cause for concern.
Analysis
Structure: se (without) + cure (care)
'se-' is a Latin prefix meaning 'apart, without'. '-cure' is from Latin 'cura', meaning 'care, concern'.
Examples
Make sure the ladder is secure before you climb it.
The company invested heavily to secure its computer network from hackers.
After years of hard work, she finally secured a position at the university.