curio
noun
cu·rio
ˈkyu̇r-ē-ˌō 
ˈkyər-
plural curios
: something (such as a decorative object) considered novel, rare, or bizarre : curiosity
also
: an unusual or bizarre person
Synonyms
Examples of curio in a Sentence
She loves to browse the shops in small towns, looking for curios.
be careful of the fragile curios on the end tables
Recent Examples on the Web
Content by this author: The Shadow of Poland’s Past
In most of Europe, the anniversary of the start of World War II was little more than a historical curio.
—
Jonathan Gorvett, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
At the same time, and for all its zealous energy, the Who’s heady rock opera can’t help feeling like a curio: The album is from 1969, Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff’s stage musical first hit Broadway in 1993, and this revival marks the latter’s 30th birthday.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Teyssier’s past lives as a theatre actor and event planner keep him challenging traditional hospitality as a disrupter and storyteller: every soul-stirring scene is art-directed and choreographed to enchant, with delicate, tactile interiors, seductive scents and unexpected curios at every turn.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2023
Shealy sells skunk ape ball caps, camouflage T-shirts and bumper stickers in the curio shop run by his brother, Jack, at the pair’s dusty, sprawling campground in Ochopee on the Tamiami Trail.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
Founded in 1997, the store carries new and used books, as well as a wide variety of curios.
—American Booksellers Association, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
Across these strange and sometimes angular tracks, McMahon splices in sound bytes culled from YouTube, a Richard Pryor set, snippets of a J Dilla interview, and other sonic curios.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2024
The Bulldog just might be the biggest curio in Aston Martin history.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 June 2023
The bouquet sits in a shop that makes copies of old curios.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Jonathan Gorvett, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
At the same time, and for all its zealous energy, the Who’s heady rock opera can’t help feeling like a curio: The album is from 1969, Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff’s stage musical first hit Broadway in 1993, and this revival marks the latter’s 30th birthday.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Teyssier’s past lives as a theatre actor and event planner keep him challenging traditional hospitality as a disrupter and storyteller: every soul-stirring scene is art-directed and choreographed to enchant, with delicate, tactile interiors, seductive scents and unexpected curios at every turn.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2023
Shealy sells skunk ape ball caps, camouflage T-shirts and bumper stickers in the curio shop run by his brother, Jack, at the pair’s dusty, sprawling campground in Ochopee on the Tamiami Trail.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
Founded in 1997, the store carries new and used books, as well as a wide variety of curios.
—American Booksellers Association, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
Across these strange and sometimes angular tracks, McMahon splices in sound bytes culled from YouTube, a Richard Pryor set, snippets of a J Dilla interview, and other sonic curios.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2024
The Bulldog just might be the biggest curio in Aston Martin history.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 June 2023
The bouquet sits in a shop that makes copies of old curios.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'curio.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Curio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curio. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
curio
noun
cu·rio
ˈkyu̇r-ē-ˌō
plural curios
: an object or article valued because it is strange or rare
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