also accurst, early 13c., acursede "lying under a curse," past participle adjective from obsolete verb acursen "pronounce a curse upon, excommunicate" (late 12c.), from a- intensive prefix + cursein (see curse, v.). The extra -c- is 15c., mistaken Latinism. Weakened sense of "worthy of a curse" is from 1590s. Related: Accursedly; accursedness.