Logo
dictionary thesaurus

cure

noun (1)
\ ˈkyu̇r How to pronounce cure (audio) , ˈkyər\

Definition of cure

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1a : spiritual charge : care
b : pastoral charge of a parish
2a : recovery or relief from a disease Her cure was complete.
b : something (such as a drug or treatment) that cures a disease Quinine is a cure for malaria.
c : a course or period of treatment take the cure for alcoholism
d : spa sense 1 one of the fashionable cures
3 : a complete or permanent solution or remedy seeking a cure for unemployment
4 : a process or method of curing

cure

verb
cured; curing

Definition of cure (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to restore to health, soundness, or normality cured him of a rare blood disease
b : to bring about recovery from cure a disease
2a : to deal with in a way that eliminates or rectifies … his small size, which time would cure for him …— William Faulkner
b : to free from something objectionable or harmful trying to cure him of a bad habit
3 : to prepare or alter especially by chemical or physical processing for keeping or use fish cured with salt

intransitive verb

1a : to undergo a curing process The hay is curing in the sun.
b : set sense 11 Cement cures rapidly.
2 : to effect a cure a potion guaranteed to cure

curé

noun (2)
cu·​ré | \ kyu̇-ˈrā How to pronounce curé (audio) , ˈkyu̇r-ˌā\

Definition of curé (Entry 3 of 3)

: a parish priest
Other Words from cure Synonyms What is the origin of cure? More Example Sentences Learn More about cure

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from cure

Noun (1)

cureless \ ˈkyu̇r-​ləs How to pronounce cureless (audio) , ˈkyər-​ \ adjective

Verb

curer noun

Synonyms for cure

Synonyms: Noun (1)

antidote, corrective, curative, rectifier, remedy, therapeutic, therapy

Synonyms: Verb

heal, mend, remedy

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

What is the origin of cure?

Noun (1)

In Latin the noun cura had the general sense of “the care, concern, or attention given to something or someone.” It might refer to “medical care or healing.” Christians, however, used the word chiefly in regard to “the care of souls,” since that was one of their main concerns. The word passed into French as cure and then into English with this spiritual sense. The English noun curate, meaning “one who takes care of souls, a member of the clergy,” developed from this sense. Later the medical senses of cure became more common.

Examples of cure in a Sentence

Noun (1)

 This is a problem that has no easy cure. The doctors were unable to effect a cure because the disease had spread too far.

Verb

 The infection can be cured with antibiotics. She was cured of any illusions she had about college after her first semester. My wife cured me of most of my bad habits.
See More

First Known Use of cure

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1655, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for cure

Noun (1)

Middle English, "attention, effort, care, responsibility, spiritual charge, medical treatment, remedy," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin cūra "care, attention, spiritual charge, treatment, cure," going back to Latin, "worry, care, attention, solicitude, treatment," probably going back to pre-Latin *kwois-ā, derivative of an Indo-European verbal base *kweis- "heed, attend to" (whence Old Irish ad·cí "(s/he) sees," Avestan cōišt "has fixed, determined")

Verb

Middle English curen "to attend to, be responsible for, restore to health," borrowed from Anglo-French curer, going back to Latin cūrāre "to watch over, attend, treat (sick persons), restore to health" (Medieval Latin, "to have spiritual charge of"), derivative of cūra "care, attention, treatment, cure" — more at cure entry 1

Noun (2)

French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin curatus — more at curate

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for cure

cure

noun
How to pronounce curé (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of cure

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: something (such as a drug or medical treatment) that stops a disease and makes someone healthy again
: something that ends a problem or improves a bad situation
: the act of making someone healthy again after an illness

cure

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cure (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make (someone) healthy again after an illness

WORD OF THE DAY

apologia

play

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!