Definition of curiosity
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
3a : one that arouses interest especially for uncommon or exotic characteristics Tobacco was once regarded as a curiosity in Europe.b : an unusual knickknack : curio The antique shop was full of curiosities.c : a curious trait or aspect
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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 of curiosity from the Web
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Her integrity, curiosity about the unknown and tenacity set her apart from many other journalists of her time and ultimately saved her life.
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That’s my scientific curiosity: How did this plant do it?
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With the third find announced Thursday, scientists are finally moving LIGO's work from the examination of singular curiosities to demographic studies of the sky's invisible denizens.
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Wondering what colliding black holes look like led to the development of the modern internet, and curiosity about how microbes survive in boiling hot springs gave rise to a crucial element of crime scene DNA testing.
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At these meetings, Orgeron is being viewed as a bit of a curiosity.
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As the 150th anniversary of Wright's June 8 birth approaches, his plan for the Mile-High Illinois, as it's often called, remains an object of fascination and curiosity.
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For now, the memorial has become an object of curiosity in the park.
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Sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'curiosity'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of curiosity
see curious
First Known Use: 14th century
CURIOSITY Defined for English Language Learners
curiosity
playDefinition of curiosity for English Language Learners
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: the desire to learn or know more about something or someone
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: something that is interesting because it is unusual
CURIOSITY Defined for Kids
curiosity
playDefinition of curiosity for Students
curiosities
1 : an eager desire to learn and often to learn things that are another's concern “What's happening?” he asked with curiosity.
2 : something strange or unusual They both sat looking at Harriet as though she were a curiosity put on television to entertain them. — Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy
3 : an object or article valued because it is strange or rare
Learn More about curiosity
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See words that rhyme with curiosity Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for curiosity Spanish Central: Translation of curiosity Nglish: Translation of curiosity for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of curiosity for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about curiosity
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