'irretrievable' originates from the Latin word 'retrahere,' where 're-' meant 'back' and 'trahere' meant 'to pull.'

'retrahere' transformed into the French word 'retrouver,' and eventually became the modern English word 'retrieve,' with 'irretrievable' forming as a negation.

Initially, it meant 'unable to be pulled back,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'impossible to recover or regain.'