curiosity
noun
cu·ri·os·i·ty
ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē 
ˌkyər-
plural curiosities
1
: desire to know:
a
: inquisitive interest in others' concerns : nosiness
The construction inside their house aroused the curiosity of their neighbors.
b
: interest leading to inquiry
intellectual curiosity
Her natural curiosity led her to ask more questions.
2
archaic
: undue nicety or fastidiousness
Examples of curiosity in a Sentence
Her natural curiosity led her to ask more questions.
The arrival of a construction crew at their house attracted the curiosity of their neighbors.
The movie failed to satisfy her curiosity about the assassination.
Tobacco was once a curiosity in Europe.
The antique shop was full of curiosities.
Recent Examples on the Web
What started as curiosity about playful packaging and novelty ingredients has matured into serious interest in clinical-grade skincare and aesthetic medicine.
—
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
When the voyeur and his subject begin physically to interact, there is low-key suspense, a hint of danger and a fatalistic romantic current fed by their growing mutual curiosity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Education, curiosity and challenging tradition have always been central to my journey.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Paradise Metal—the debut of Father Dionysios Tabakis, a 53-year-old priest in Nafplio, a small Greek city off the Argolic Gulf—is actually a series of epiphanies, an ostensible curiosity that functions as an object lesson about expectations.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for curiosity
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Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
When the voyeur and his subject begin physically to interact, there is low-key suspense, a hint of danger and a fatalistic romantic current fed by their growing mutual curiosity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Education, curiosity and challenging tradition have always been central to my journey.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Paradise Metal—the debut of Father Dionysios Tabakis, a 53-year-old priest in Nafplio, a small Greek city off the Argolic Gulf—is actually a series of epiphanies, an ostensible curiosity that functions as an object lesson about expectations.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for curiosity
Cite this Entry
“Curiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curiosity. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
curiosity
noun
cu·ri·os·i·ty
ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈäs-ət-ē
plural curiosities
1
: an eager desire to learn and often to learn what does not concern one : inquisitiveness
2
a
: something strange or unusual
the curiosities of nature
b
: curio
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