Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “irrecoverable” come from?

Irrecoverable derives from English recover, which combines Latin re- (back) and English cover, ultimately from Latin con- (with) and Latin in (not).

irrecoverable (English): Not recoverable; incapable of being recovered;...

Definitions

  1. Not recoverable; incapable of being recovered;...

Ancestry of “irrecoverable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrecoverableCapable of being regained or recovered;...
2EnglishrecoverTo get back, to regain; to salvage, to extricate,...
3EnglishcoverA lid; Area or situation which screens a person...
4Middle Englishcoverento recover
5Old Frenchcovrirto cover
6Latincooperiō—
7Latincōn-—
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak

Words derived from “irrecoverable”

  • irrecoverably
  • irrecoverableness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →