uncured

IPA/ˌʌnˈkjʊəd/
KK[ˌʌnkjˈɚd]IPA/ˌʌnˈkjʊrd/

uncured — adjective

  • uncuredpositive
  • more uncuredcomparative
  • most uncuredsuperlative

1. used for describing a disease or medical condition that remains in a person or a

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

used for describing a disease or medical condition that remains in a person or animal because no treatment has been effective or no medical cure exists.

Example

Emre's cancer remained uncured despite months of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

remain uncured (linking verb + adjective pattern)

Doctors warned the family that the rare infection was still uncured after every available medicine had been tried.

Common collocations
  • uncured disease
  • uncured illness
  • uncured infection
  • remain uncured
  • stay uncured
Synonyms
  • untreated

    focuses on the lack of medical action taken, not necessarily the lack of a cure

  • incurable

    stronger — implies that no cure exists at all, rather than that a cure was simply not achieved

Antonyms
  • cured

    the direct opposite — the disease has been successfully eliminated

Usage Note

Frequently used with linking verbs such as 'remain', 'stay', and 'leave' to describe a condition that continues despite treatment.

2. used for describing a person who is still suffering from the effects of an illne

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used for describing a person who is still suffering from the effects of an illness or injury and has not returned to normal health.

Example

Theo left the hospital uncured, still struggling with the pain in his lower back.

leave [place] uncured

After six weeks of antibiotics, Rin was still uncured and needed a different medicine.

Common collocations
  • uncured patient
  • leave hospital uncured
  • remain uncured
  • die uncured
Synonyms
  • unhealed

    often used for physical wounds or injuries rather than illnesses

  • unrecovered

    less common, focuses on the lack of return to a prior healthy state

Antonyms
  • healed

    opposite — the person has recovered and is healthy again

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes the disease itself, while sense 2 describes the person. The person may be described as 'uncured' even if the disease's name is not mentioned.

3. used for describing meat, fish, or other food products that have not been salted

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

used for describing meat, fish, or other food products that have not been salted, smoked, or chemically treated to make them last longer.

Example

Linh bought uncured bacon from the farmer's market because it has fewer artificial additives.

uncured + bacon / ham / meat

The restaurant serves uncured ham that must be kept cold and eaten within a week.

Common collocations
  • uncured meat
  • uncured bacon
  • uncured ham
  • uncured sausage
  • uncured fish
Synonyms
  • fresh

    suggests the food has not been preserved at all, though 'fresh' is broader and less specific to the curing process

  • unprocessed

    wider meaning — covers many types of processing beyond just curing

Antonyms
  • cured

    direct opposite — treated with salt, smoke, or chemicals for preservation

Usage Note

Often used in grocery stores and restaurant menus to contrast with 'cured' products. Uncured foods require refrigeration and have a shorter shelf life.

Common Mistakes

I bought uncured fish that can sit on the counter all day.
I bought cured fish that can sit on the counter all day.
Uncured foods spoil quickly; only cured or preserved foods can be stored without refrigeration.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/3

'Uncured' specifically means meat, fish, or other foods have not been treated with salt, smoke, or chemicals to preserve them — it is the opposite of 'cured' (as in cured ham or bacon). 'Fresh' is a broader term that simply means the food has not been frozen, canned, or aged, but a 'fresh' sausage may still contain curing agents. 'Unprocessed' refers to foods that have not been industrially altered in any way and covers many changes beyond curing. 'Raw' means uncooked, not uncured — a cured salami is still raw in the sense of not being cooked. In a grocery store, 'uncured bacon' contains no added nitrates or nitrites, while 'fresh bacon' may still be salted but not smoked. Choosing the right word depends on whether you are talking about cooking method (raw), industrial treatment (unprocessed), or the specific preservation process (uncured).

uncured ↗fresh ↗unprocessed ↗raw ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Uncured' is formed by adding the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to the past participle 'cured'. 'Cure' comes from Old French 'curer' (to take care of, to heal), and ultimately from Latin 'cura' (care, concern). The food-preservation sense of 'cure' (salting or smoking meat) developed in the 18th century, giving rise to 'uncured' as a label for products that skip this treatment.

First known use

1548

1548, in the meaning defined above