curation

noun

cu·​ra·​tion kyu̇-ˈrā-shən 

plural curations

1

: the act or an instance of curating or selecting

"I think what's best about video store collections is that they're the work of some 20, 30 years of an obsessed human being's curation," [Tim League] explained.

—Gabe Cohn and Adam Powell

: such as

a

: the act or an instance of selecting and organizing artistic works for presentation in an exhibit, show, etc.

the careful curation that went into the exhibit

the museum's curation team

participated in the show's curation process

b

: the act or process of selecting and organizing (something, such as articles or images) for distribution or publication

Content curation is the process of sifting through and selecting online content to add to a website.

—James Warrington and Giulia Bottaro

Algorithms are basically the secret sauce that fuels modern social networks and streaming platforms. … They're good at both maximizing audience size and cheaply filling homepages with limited need for manual editorial curation.

—Tom McKay

Those who subscribe get a box of books tailored to their likes and dislikes: The careful curation is based on responses to questions about favorite and least favorite authors, and even a review of the recipient's Goodreads profile.

—Angela Haupt

also : the items selected and organized

These are just some of the latest in our curation of early Black Friday and holiday deals, which you can peruse right here in our dedicated guide.

—Nona Porter

Don't be afraid to mix into your curation some great content about a sport or recreational activity you love, or a charity or community cause you support.

—Jay Palter

2

: the act or process of selecting and bringing together people or groups for a specific purpose : coordination sense 1

We've had to be very deliberate with the curation of the team by bringing on those with the right skillsets, who are not only compatible but also believe in our company culture.

—Dan Jovevski, quoted at SmartCompany.com.au

3

: the art or profession of a curator

I decided on a career field in high school: museum curation.

—Katherine Kelly-Coviello

Examples of curation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Oliver Peoples is paying homage to actor, philanthropist, race car driver and style inspiration Paul Newman with a new collection as part of the American luxury label’s spring 2026 curation. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Jan. 2026

This includes luxury accommodation ($620-1,860 per night), consultation and curation services ($3,720-9,920 depending on complexity), exclusive access fees for private ateliers and archives ($2,480-6,200), and the creation or acquisition budget ($6,200-31,000). —Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Make room for personality While minimalist spaces rely on restraint, Liu says warm minimalism allows personality to emerge through the careful curation of meaningful items. —Mary Grace Granados special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026

Staffers voted 542 to 172 in favor of joining the Met Union, which will represent workers in fifty departments, including curation, conservation, education, and retail. —News Desk, Artforum, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English curacioun "curing, restoration to health, medical treatment," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French curacion, borrowed from Latin cūrātiōn-, cūrātiō "superintendence, taking care, treatment of a disease or sick person, office to which duties are attached," from cūrāre "to watch over, attend, treat (sick persons), restore to health" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at cure entry 2

Note: In contemporary use curation is probably a new formation from cur(ate) entry 2 + -ation.

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for curation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation