'ready-cured' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'ready' and 'cured'. 'ready' ultimately comes from Old English 'rǣde' / 'rǣd' meaning 'prepared' or 'arranged', while 'cured' is the past participle of 'cure', from Latin 'curare' via Old French 'curer', where 'cura' meant 'care' or 'concern'.

'ready' changed from Old English 'rǣde' through Middle English 'redi' to modern English 'ready'; 'cure' developed from Latin 'curare' to Old French 'curer' and entered Middle English as 'cure', with the past participle form becoming 'cured'. The compound 'ready-cured' is a relatively recent formation in English combining these elements.

Initially the component words conveyed 'prepared' ('ready') and 'treated/cares-for' ('cure'); over time the compound came to be used to mean 'already subjected to a curing or treatment process' (and, more rarely, 'already healed').