Irradicable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A quality or trait that defies total removal or obliteration
2. Describing something that cannot be completely eliminated or destroyed
3. Referring to a trait or condition that resists full removal or extinction

Etymology: "Irradicable" is formed from the English prefix "ir-", a variant of "in-" meaning "not," attached to "radicable," which is itself built from "radicate" (to take root) and the adjectival suffix "-able." The core idea is therefore a rooting image: something that cannot be pulled up by the roots. The root behind it is Latin "radix," meaning "root," the same source that gives English "radish," "radical," and "eradicate." The Latin verb "radicare" meant to take root, and English "radicate" and "eradicate" grew out of that base. "Eradicate," meaning to pull out by the roots, is the older and more familiar of the two, and "irradicable" follows the same pattern with the negative prefix added. The "ir-" spelling appears before a word beginning with "r," in the same way "irregular" and "irrelevant" take that form. Because "irradicable" is a word of plain, transparent construction, its meaning can be read straight from its parts: a thing that cannot be dug out at its roots.