Word of the Week (WOW) is a weekly challenge created by Heena Rathore P. It’s a fun way to improve vocabulary by learning new words every week. To participate, simply do a post with your word and leave the link as a comment on Heena’s WOW post for this week (above link).
I’m looking at the letter I this week:
Word
Incorrigible
Pronunciation:
in·cor·ri·gi·ble (ĭn-kôr′ĭ-jə-bəl)
Audio:
Part of Speech
Adjective
Related Forms:
Noun: incorrigibility; incorrigibleness
Adverb. incorrigibly
Meaning:
- Bad beyond correction or reform; not corrigible (corrigible meaning capable of being corrected or reformed)
2. Impervious to constraints or punishment; wilful; unruly; uncontrollable:
(e.g. William’s teachers said he was always fighting in the playground and was totally incorrigible.):
3. firmly fixed; not easily changed
4. not easily swayed or influenced
5. (Noun) a person who is incorrigible
Word Origin:
Middle English: 1300-1350, from the Latin incorrigibilis – from in (not) corrigibilis
Synonyms:
incurable, irrecoverable, irredeemable, irreformable, unredeemable, depraved, hopeless, delinquent, unruly, unalterable, inveterate, disobedient, unreformed, hardened, intractable
Antonyms:
curable, reclaimable, recoverable, redeemable, reformable, remediable, retrievable, savable (or saveable) corrigible
Use in a Sentence:
1. From the time Helen had got out of bed this morning her incorrigible hair had refused to stay in any style suitable for a day showing prospective purchasers around the new apartments:
2. ‘You’re an incorrigible old rogue, Grandad’, Mark said, unable to suppress a smile as the ruddy faced old man sidled over to the drinks cabinet and poured himself another generous Scotch. ‘You know what the doctor said about easing off on the booze, at least until after the test results. Mum’d have a fit if she knew.’
Grandad just winked, and grinned incorrigibly. ‘But yer mum’ll not know about it, will she, lad?’
3 After ten years of marriage to an incorrigible gambler, Alice had had enough: divorce was her only option:
*
I rather like this word, especially when used in a humorous and/or affectionate way, as in the second ‘Use in a Sentence’ above.
If you’d like to view more interesting words, visit Heena’s Page
Millie Thom 
I really like this word and I love the way you have shown us how to use it!! love the pictures Millie! hahaha
Thanks Lynn. I’ve used this word a few times over the last couple of years. 🙂
yes it is one that I know unlike many but this sounds fun!
I think it’s a fun word, too. It is well used which shows that many people like it, I think. Thanks, Lynn. 🙂
yes I agree! 🙂
Great word…I know that one. I have incorrigible students and hair too , lol 🙂
Ha ha. I identify only too well with the hair. As for incorrigible students, they’re now well and truly relegated to the realms of my past! Thanks, L.T. 🙂
I use this word all the time – always directed toward my husband Andy. He’s very proud of that too.
It’s a lovely word, used in an affectionate way, Dinata. I can imagine that Andy would be proud of being called incorrigible – and probably goes out of his way to live up to that title! 🙂
Indeed he does!
😀
Great selection of word for the challenge, Millie, I first read this word in a novel, and immediately looked up the dictionary 😀
I really like this word and the ways in which it can be used, Freda. It’s one that many people know and generally like the sound of. I’ve used it a few times in my writing. Thank you for reading! 🙂
Sounds like we all love this word. For me it’s not one to use when people are being properly bad, just a bit naughty 🙂
I agree with that, Bekki. I like it used as an affectionate term. The phrase, ‘naughty but nice’ springs to mind. 🙂
Yup, learned something today… Thanks 🙂
Thank you for reading, momma! 🙂
How weird – “incorrigible” is in common usage, but I never heard of “corrigible” 🙂
Yes, corrigible isn’t a word I’ve ever heard (or seen) used, either. It is definitely a word, though – I checked. 🙂 Incorrigible is quite a common word and one that people often say to someone with a grin and a shake of the head. Thanks, Ali. 🙂
I am sure you cane across a few incorrigible types in your work, Millie?
Ooh, I lost count of them years ago. Most were lovable rogues, though. 🙂
Good characters to use in your writing? Anonymously, of course!
Of course. 🙂
that’s super interesting! And as always, described in a funny way! 🙂
I’m curious, do you have your favourite word?
I have many favourite words for different things, and the more words I come across through my writing, the longer my list gets. I particulary like words that suit what they are describing. For example, filigree sound a delicate word, and it does describe delicate and decorative ornamental work. I love ethereal and ephemeral, too, and what they mean. When I was a child, I loved the word ‘lagoon’. Now I think back, it was the image that the word conjured up that fascinated me – a sleepy, blue lagoon and a tropical island. My travel lust kicked in early! 🙂
Thank you! That’s a really sweet answer and explanation! 🙂 I have a few similar questions in mind, but will leave them for later. 🙂
I’ll look forward to answering them (or trying to! 🙂
Oh, I love lagoon too!!!!
Yes, I’ve liked this word for many years, as I said. It’s so expressive with that lingering ‘oo’ sound. Thanks, snowsomewhere.
Oh no, I don’t like that word, it makes me think that something’s gone wrong, a horrible, incorrigible mistake… or am I using the word wrong? Anyway, I think it has a dramatic ring to it!
This word tends to get used in a
much more affectionate and jovial way than you describe, although your example is certainly one way of using it. It can mean that someone (or something) is bad beyond correction, but most people use it in a jovial way, especially to someone they would call a ‘lovable rogue’. I can’t make myself think of it as a horrible word because that’s how I’ve always used it. Still, we all like different sounds and perhaps this one just doesn’t appeal to you.
Very interesting!
It seems I only use this word in affectionate way, it sounds very good for that 🙂 Love your word posts, love languages.
Yes, I’ve only used incorrigible in my writing in the affectionate sense, too. I wouldn’t think of using it to mean something really bad, although that is one of its definitions. Thank you, Inese.
I have a passion for the words,there is so much behind them oftentimes,and also they have some subtle hidden meanings.You have wonderfully analysed and used the given word,dear Millie!Good night for now.Sending you my best wishes for a brilliant tomorrow 🙂 x
I wish you a brilliant day tomorrow, and a really wonderful Christmas, Doda. It is a wonderful time of year for us all. ❤
Enjoy every single minute of this wonderful season of year with your loved ones 🙂 ❤
I'll come by again for Christmas wishes ❤ xxx
I’ve come across this word so many times… and yet never looked up at the meaning, mostly because its use in the sentence portrays the feeling well enough. But now that I know what all it really means I can use it in my writing correctly. Thanks a lot, Millie, for sharing this word! 🙂
Thank you for reading it, Heena. It’s a good word to use in a humorous way.
I have always loved this word Millie. To me, it says so very much in just one word. When I hear it I always think of Tom Sawyer. LOL1
Thank you PJ! Yes, this word does suit Tom Sawyer well. It’s a good one to apply to a lovable rogue. 🙂
Haha! Exactly! 😀
I love all these examples especially the first one. It is so me getting out of bed and my incorrigible hair refuses to stay in style lol 😀 😀 😀
There are probably few women who don’t think their hair is incorrogible! It’s the main thing that women moan about on a daily basis. We’re never satisfied, are we? Perhaps we should all be bald! 😀
hahahhaha you are super funny Millie 😉 We women always have million things to complain 😛 😀
You’re right, Khloe. Just think how boring life would be if we didn’t keep having a good old moan. Have a wonderful Christmas! ❤
The first time I heard the word “incorrigible” was while watching The Sound of Music movie when I was 7. While being introduced, Kurt tells Maria “I’m Kurt. I’m incorrigible.” I didn’t know meaning of the word. In the movie, Kurt asks Maria “What’s incorrigible?” She explains, “I think it means you want to be treated like a boy.” I decided then and there that I was definitely NOT incorrigible! Girly girl that I was.
Ha ha. That’s the best definition of incorrigible I’ve heard. (I’ve seen that film several times, and must have missed that bit!)
‘Incorrigible’ was the last WOW (Word of the Week) post I did. I keep intending to carry on but never seem to find the time. I’m going through the alphabet – for the second time – and will be doing a ‘J’ word next…eventually. I like doing these posts. Delving into the derivations and meanings of words is a good post for a writer. Heena Rathore, who started the WOW posts, is awaiting thepublication of her first book in July.
(I can’t remember ever being a girly girl. I was a real tomboy as a child.) 🙂
I was a girly girl at that age as we lived in the city. A year later, we moved to the countryside and I became a tomboy – climbing trees, fishing, etc.. 🙂