curative

C3U1R1A1T1I1V4E1
/ˈkjʊɹ.ə.tɪv/

adjective

Possessing the ability to cure, to heal or treat illness.

“a curative jury instruction to disregard the sheriff's testimony”

Similar
healingalterativeremedialsanativetherapeutichealthfulremedycure
OriginMiddle French curatif →
Less commonScrabble 13
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Word of the Day · Aug 23, 2023

Meanings

curative1

adjectivecurative (comparative more curative, superlative most curative)

comparative more curative · superlative most curative

  1. Possessing the ability to cure, to heal or treat illness.

    The curative power of the antibiotics introduced in the 1950s was amazing at the time.

    2 more examples

    Making this request is not considered a curative measure but only for preventive purposes, as the Rambam rights, "A healthy man may read scriptural passages and psalms in order to merit of this reading and be with him and protect him from danger and hurtful influences."

    1996, Macy Nulman, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer, page 384

    He was just as interested in preventive care as he was in curative measures.

    2022, Lindsey Fitzharris, The Facemaker, page 41
  2. broadlyfigurativelyRemediative.

    a curative jury instruction to disregard the sheriff's testimony

nouncurative (plural curatives)

plural curatives

  1. A substance that acts as a cure.

curative2

adjectivecurative (not comparable)
  1. not comparablegrammarof a verb, conveying the meaning "the agent makes a patient do something"

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivetending to cure or restore to health

Similar
healingalterativeremedialsanativetherapeutichealthful

nouna medicine or therapy that cures disease or relieve pain

Similar
remedycuretherapeutic
Broader
medicinemedicationmedicament
Also see
alterativecurehealingmedicalremedialremedysanativetherapeutic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Frenchcuratif
  2. Middle Frenchcuratif
  3. Englishcurative

Borrowed from Middle French curatif.

More words from Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἰαματικός
  • ἰαματικός (iamatikós)possessing the ability to cure
Bulgarian лечебен
  • лечебен (lečeben)possessing the ability to cure
Catalan curatiu
  • curatiupossessing the ability to cure
Dutch curatief
  • curatiefpossessing the ability to cure
Finnish parantava, kuratiivinen
  • parantavapossessing the ability to cure
  • kuratiivinen(grammar) of a verb, conveying the meaning "the agent makes a patient do something"
French curatif
  • curatifpossessing the ability to cure
German heilend, heilkräftig
  • heilendpossessing the ability to cure
  • heilkräftigpossessing the ability to cure
Greek ιαματικός
  • ιαματικός (iamatikós)possessing the ability to cure
Hungarian gyógyító, gyógyhatású
  • gyógyítópossessing the ability to cure
  • gyógyhatásúpossessing the ability to cure
  • gyógy-possessing the ability to cure
Indonesian kuratif
  • kuratifpossessing the ability to cure
Italian curativo
  • curativopossessing the ability to cure
Māori whakaoraora
  • whakaoraorapossessing the ability to cure
Polish leczniczy, kuracyjny
  • leczniczypossessing the ability to cure
  • kuracyjnypossessing the ability to cure
  • kuratywny(grammar) of a verb, conveying the meaning "the agent makes a patient do something"
Portuguese curativo
  • curativopossessing the ability to cure
Russian целе́бный, цели́тельный
  • целе́бный (celébnyj)possessing the ability to cure
  • цели́тельный (celítelʹnyj)possessing the ability to cure
Spanish curativo
  • curativopossessing the ability to cure
Welsh iachusol
  • iachusolpossessing the ability to cure
Cite this entry
APA

curative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/curative

MLA

“curative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/curative. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “curative,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/curative.

Source: curative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.