curator

noun

cu·​ra·​tor ˈkyu̇r-ˌā-tər How to pronounce curator (audio)
ˈkyər-;
kyu̇-ˈrā-;
ˈkyu̇r-ə-,
ˈkyər- How to pronounce curator (audio)
plural curators
: a person who oversees or manages a place (such as a museum or zoo) that offers exhibits
"My passion for animal care and collection management really drove me to become a curator."Scott Newland
also : a person at a museum, zoo, etc. who is in charge of a specific collection or subject area
the curator of manuscripts
curatorial adjective
curatorship
ˈkyu̇r-ˌā-tər-ˌship How to pronounce curator (audio)
ˈkyər-;
kyu̇-ˈrā-;
ˈkyu̇r-ə-
ˈkyər-
noun

Did you know?

In a good-sized art museum, each curator is generally responsible for a single department or collection: European painting, Asian sculpture, Native American art, and so on. Curatorial duties include acquiring new artworks, caring for and repairing objects already owned, discovering frauds and counterfeits, lending artworks to other museums, and mounting exhibitions of everything from Greek sculpture to 20th-century clothing.

Examples of curator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The growing appetite from both private collectors and public audiences builds on years of scholarship by academics such as Ogbechie, and curator Bonsu hopes that this mainstream interest alongside the exhibition will prompt visitors to ask questions and reflect on their own cultural heritage. Suyin Haynes, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025 The Frick Collection in New York has announced Aimee Ng as its next chief curator, effective this November. News Desk, Artforum, 6 Oct. 2025 The opening night will feature a conversation with exhibition curator, Rami Ozeri. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025 Jessica Newell, an assistant curator at the Denver Zoo, told Axios that Baya and Rebecca are a good fit for each other. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for curator

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin cūrātor "one who looks after, superintendent, guardian," from cūrāre "to watch over, attend" + -tor, agent suffix — more at cure entry 2

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curator was in 1660

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Cite this Entry

“Curator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curator. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

curator

noun
cu·​ra·​tor ˈkyu̇(ə)r-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce curator (audio) kyu̇-ˈrāt- How to pronounce curator (audio)
ˈkyu̇r-ət-
: a person in charge of a museum or zoo
curatorship noun

Legal Definition

curator

noun
in the civil law of Louisiana : a person appointed by a court to care for the property of an absent person or to care for the person or property of someone mentally incapable of doing so compare committee, conservator, guardian, interdict, tutor
curatorship noun
Etymology

Latin, guardian, from curare to take care of

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