adjective

irrecoverable

ir-ih-KUV-er-uh-bul/ˌɪrɪˈkʌvərəbl/

Impossible to recover or restore.

The ornament's original form is irrecoverable from the tiny shattered fragments.

A broken fragile glass ornament lies reduced to many tiny shards beyond recognizable reconstruction, unrecoverable loss, no injury.

Etymology

irLatinnot

+recoverOld Frenchget back, regain health

+ableOld Frenchcapable of being

Recovrer covered both getting something back and regaining health. With the negative prefix and capability ending, irrecoverable rules out a return to possession or a restored condition.

In context

DW Consult2:06

they should only show receivables or debts that a business confidently believes it will be paid or settled as a result the irrecoverable amount must be removed from the receivables account

What to do with Irrecoverable Debts

More examples

Without a backup, the deleted files are irrecoverable.
The company writes off the loan as an irrecoverable debt.
The museum mourns the irrecoverable loss of its oldest paintings.

Forms

irrecoverable

irrecoverably adverb — In a way that prevents recovery.

recoverable adjective — Able to be regained or restored.

Similar words

irretrievable: Emphasizes being unable to retrieve something lost or missing.
irreparable: Emphasizes damage that cannot be repaired or remedied.
irreversible: Describes a change or process that cannot be undone.