unupgradeable
|un-up-grade-a-ble|
/ˌʌnʌpˈɡreɪdəbl/
(upgrade)
improvement to a higher level
Etymology
'unupgradeable' originates from English, specifically formed by the prefix 'un-' plus the adjective 'upgradeable' (itself from the verb 'upgrade' + suffix '-able').
'upgrade' was formed in modern English by combining 'up' + 'grade' (with 'grade' from Latin 'gradus'); 'upgrade' produced the adjective 'upgradeable' and then the negative form 'unupgradeable'.
Initially, the root 'upgrade' meant 'to raise to a higher grade or improve'; over time the derived negative form came to mean 'not capable of being improved or updated'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not able to be upgraded; incapable of being improved, updated, or made more advanced.
The legacy device is unupgradeable, so we need to replace it to get new features.
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Adjective 2
unable to receive software, firmware, or system updates (often used in tech contexts).
Because the OS is unupgradeable, security patches are no longer available for the phone.
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Last updated: 2026/01/07 14:43