What does curiosity mean?

Definitions for curiosity
ˌkyʊər iˈɒs ɪ ticu·rios·i·ty

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word curiosity.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. curiosity, wondernoun

    a state in which you want to learn more about something

  2. curio, curiosity, oddity, oddment, peculiarity, raritynoun

    something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting

Wiktionary

  1. curiositynoun

    Careful, delicate construction; fine workmanship, delicacy of building.

  2. curiositynoun

    Inquisitiveness; the tendency to ask learn about things by asking questions, investigating, or exploring.

  3. curiositynoun

    A unique or extraordinary object which arouses interest.

    He kept the strangely shaped rock as a curiosity.

  4. Etymology: From curiouseté, from curiositatem, from curiosus.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Curiositynoun

    Etymology: from curious.

    When thou wast in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they mockt thee for too much curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art despised for the contrary. William Shakespeare, Timon.

    Qualities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either’s moiety. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

    Our eyes and senses, however armed or assisted, are too gross to discern the curiosity of the workmanship of nature. John Ray, on the Creation.

    There hath been practised also a curiosity, to set a tree upon the north-side of a wall, and, at a little height, to draw it through the wall, and spread it upon the south-side; conceiving that the root and lower part of the stock should enjoy the freshness of the shade, and the upper boughs and fruit, the comfort of the sun; but it sorted not. Francis Bacon, Nat. History.

    We took a ramble together to see the curiosities of this great town. Joseph Addison, Freeholder, №. 47.

Wikipedia

  1. Curiosity

    Curiosity (from Latin cūriōsitās, from cūriōsus "careful, diligent, curious", akin to cura "care") is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in humans and other animals. Curiosity is heavily associated with all aspects of human development, in which derives the process of learning and desire to acquire knowledge and skill.The term curiosity can also be used to denote the behavior or emotion of being curious, in regard to the desire to gain knowledge or information. Curiosity as a behavior and emotion is attributed over millennia as the driving force behind not only human development, but developments in science, language, and industry.

ChatGPT

  1. curiosity

    Curiosity is a strong desire or inclination to learn, understand, or know something. It is a natural emotion or state of mind that leads to seeking information or exploring the unknown. This quality often drives individuals to investigate, ask questions, and explore new ideas, experiences, or areas of knowledge. It is considered an important trait for intellectual and personal growth.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Curiositynoun

    the state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy; exactness; elaboration

  2. Curiositynoun

    disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness

  3. Curiositynoun

    that which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward attention

  4. Etymology: [OE. curiouste, curiosite, OF. curioset, curiosit, F. curiosit, fr. L. curiositas, fr. curiosus. See Curious, and cf. Curio.]

Wikidata

  1. Curiosity

    Curiosity is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in human and many animal species. The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity. As this emotion represents a thirst for knowledge, curiosity is a major driving force behind scientific research and other disciplines of human study.

The Roycroft Dictionary

  1. curiosity

    1. A gulf that swallows gods, men, creeds, matter, worlds, philosophies. 2. A peephole in the brain through which one sees the pomp and ceremony of the Absurd. 3. A monstrous antenna that feels its way through matter and mind, and founders in the Infinite. 4. At its lowest, the instinct that boosts us up to peep over our neighbor's transom, symboled by a knot-hole.

Editors Contribution

  1. curiosity

    The act and quality of being curious

    Curiosity is a beautiful quality to see in a child, it show they are motivated to learn and must be encouraged and stimulated


    Submitted by MaryC on February 4, 2021  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'curiosity' in Nouns Frequency: #2687

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce curiosity?

How to say curiosity in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of curiosity in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of curiosity in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of curiosity in a Sentence

  1. Benito Mussolini:

    But which race? Does there exist a German race? Has it ever existed? Will it ever exist? Reality, myth, or hoax of the theorists? Ah well, we respond, a Germanic race does not exist. Various movements. Curiosity. Stupor. We repeat. Does not exist. We don't say so. Scientists say so. Hitler says so.

  2. G. M. Trevelyan:

    Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the life blood of real civilization.

  3. Alexi Pappas:

    To join that tradition felt like a rite of passage and something that I was genuinely curious about, being Greek, it's also one of those traditions that's deeply rooted in my background and I think everyone runs a marathon out of curiosity for what their mind or bodies might be able to do.

  4. Alexander Pope:

    One who is too wise an observer of the business of others, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.

  5. Jim Bell:

    It will be a multi-year, hundreds of people effort to choose the landing site for 2020, there are lots of great places to go. The finalist sites for Curiosity are already listed for consideration.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

curiosity#10000#14466#100000

Translations for curiosity

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • فُضُولArabic
  • maraqAzerbaijani
  • куриоз, любознателност, любопитство, рядкостBulgarian
  • zvědavost, kuriozitaCzech
  • nysgerrighedDanish
  • Kuriosität, Neugierde, Neugier, KuriosumGerman
  • περιέργειαGreek
  • curiosidadSpanish
  • uudishimu, kurioosumEstonian
  • jakinminBasque
  • kuriositeetti, uteliaisuusFinnish
  • curiositéFrench
  • סקרנותHebrew
  • kiváncsiságHungarian
  • forvitniIcelandic
  • curiositàItalian
  • 珍奇, 好奇心Japanese
  • ಕುತೂಹಲKannada
  • 호기심, 好奇心Korean
  • tatol, balkêşî, çavzêlkî, tatêl, etir, xemxwerî, hewes, mereqKurdish
  • cūriōsitāsLatin
  • žingeidumas, smalsumasLithuanian
  • ziņkārība, ziņkāreLatvian
  • mokamokai, mōkaikaiMāori
  • љубопитностMacedonian
  • nieuwsgierigheid, curiositeitDutch
  • nysgjerrighetNorwegian
  • ciekawostka, ciekawośćPolish
  • curiosidadePortuguese
  • curiozitateRomanian
  • любознательность, редкость, любопытство, пытливость, курьёз, диковинаRussian
  • знатижеља, znatiželjnost, znatiželja, ljubopitljivost, љубопитност, ljubopitstvo, љубопитљивост, знатижељност, куриозѝте̄т, ljubopitnost, zanìmljivōst, radoznalost, занѝмљиво̄ст, љубопитство, радозналост, kuriozìtētSerbo-Croatian
  • radovednostSlovene
  • nyfikenhet, kuriositetSwedish
  • కుతూహలంTelugu
  • meraklılık, tuhaflık, merak, ucûbeTurkish
  • дивина, рідкість, цікавістьUkrainian
  • تجسسUrdu
  • tò mòVietnamese
  • 好奇心Chinese

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"curiosity." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 15 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/curiosity>.

Discuss these curiosity definitions with the community:

1 Comment
  • Adria Sorensen
    Adria Sorensen
    Curiosity killed the cat, but conforming killed the cow.
    LikeReply5 years ago

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a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile
A scarper
B render
C loom
D rumpus

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