curative

adjective

cu·​ra·​tive ˈkyu̇r-ə-tiv How to pronounce curative (audio)
ˈkyər-
1
: relating to or used in the cure of diseases : tending to cure
2
law : serving to correct or negate
We have instructed that if a complaint is vulnerable to … dismissal, a district court must permit a curative amendment, unless an amendment would be inequitable or futile.Phillips v. County of Allegheny, 515 F. 3d 224 (3rd Cir. 2008)
curative noun
curatively adverb

Did you know?

Medical researchers are finding curative substances in places that surprise them. Folklore has led to some "new" cures of old diseases, and natural substances never before tried have often proved effective. Quinine, which comes from a tree in the Andes, was the original drug for malaria; aspirin's main ingredient came from willow bark; and Taxol, a drug used in treating several cancers, was originally extracted from the bark of a yew tree. The curative properties of these natural drugs are today duplicated in the laboratory.

Examples of curative in a Sentence

an herb believed to have curative powers some believe that the herb has curative properties
Recent Examples on the Web But the specific pathways by which the virus does so are still being elucidated, and curative treatments are nonexistent. Ziyad Al-Aly, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 That cure came not just by divine intervention, but likely also by skilled healers with knowledge of human anatomy and maladies and an understanding of the curative properties of the hot mineral water that still bubbles up all over the valley. Elizabeth Heath, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2024 Indeed, while the therapy’s curative effects aren’t certain, the theatrics are undeniable. Zoey Poll, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Despite its curative properties, Castle Hot Springs went up in flames in 1975. Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024 The promise of genome editing has given rise to potentially curative medicines for rare, life-threatening diseases that generally affect small numbers of patients. Damian Garde, STAT, 10 Jan. 2024 Bizarrely, the discovery grew out of research into the curative properties of Gila monster saliva. Robert Goulder, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 Stem cell transplants can be curative, but the procedure requires patients to have a donor with matched immune cells, which occurs infrequently. Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 8 Dec. 2023 But that doesn’t account for the weeks of pretreatment, prolonged hospitalization, and months of recovery required for what can ultimately be a curative therapy. Damian Garde, STAT, 13 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'curative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin cūrātīvus, from Latin cūrātus, past participle of cūrāre "to watch over, attend, treat (sick persons), restore to health" + -īvus -ive — more at cure entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of curative was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near curative

Cite this Entry

“Curative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curative. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

curative

adjective
cu·​ra·​tive ˈkyu̇r-ət-iv How to pronounce curative (audio)
: relating to or used in the cure of diseases
curative treatments

Medical Definition

curative

adjective
cu·​ra·​tive ˈkyu̇r-ət-iv How to pronounce curative (audio)
: relating to or used in the cure of diseases
curative noun
curatively adverb

Legal Definition

curative

adjective
cu·​ra·​tive ˈkyu̇r-ə-tiv How to pronounce curative (audio)
: serving or intended to cure defects
curative instructions to the jury

More from Merriam-Webster on curative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!