Irreconcilement

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A condition where two or more parties remain in disagreement without finding a way to address or resolve their differences
2. The condition in which differences or conflicts cannot be resolved between individuals or groups
3. A situation marked by persistent discord where agreement or harmony is not achieved

Etymology: "Irreconcilement" is a plain English formation: the prefix "ir-" (a form of "in-", meaning "not") attached to "reconcile", with the suffix "-ment" turning the result into a noun for a state or condition. Together they name the condition of being unable to be brought back into agreement. The base, "reconcile", came into English from Latin "reconciliare", meaning to bring together again, from "re-" (again) and "conciliare" (to unite or bind together). Its own meaning, to restore friendship between estranged parties, is older in English than the negative noun built from it. The suffix "-ment" is the same one found in words like "judgment" and "settlement", and it was productive in English for forming nouns from verbs. Adding "ir-" to a noun of that kind gives a word describing an unresolvable state, which is why the term tends to appear in discussions of disputes or divisions that cannot be healed.