curiosity

noun

cu·ri·os·i·ty | \ ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē

, ˌkyər-\

plural curiosities

Definition of curiosity

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

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about curiosity

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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 on the Web

Distance vision is now developing, and this eye contact is the first sign of curiosity and a potential desire to travel. — Karla Walsh, Woman's Day, "When Do Babies Crawl? Here's Everything You Need to Know," 28 Jan. 2019 Bell approaches each episode with a mixture of genuine curiosity and lightheartedness, frequently weaving in his signature comedic style. — Pilot Viruet, The Verge, "The 12 best overlooked TV shows of 2018," 14 Dec. 2018 For Stanton, such curiosity about finding the right path in a cave seems to motivate him. — Danica Kirka, Fox News, "British divers bring experience to Thai cave drama," 4 July 2018 There was a certain kind of confidence that came from the success, and also a real curiosity about the new technology that was really coming to the fore. — Robbie Daw, Billboard, "Shirley Manson Looks Back On 20 Years of Garbage's 'Sci-Fi Pop' Odyssey, 'Version 2.0'," 29 May 2018 There’s a genuine curiosity about whatever came before. — Peter Jon Lindberg, Condé Nast Traveler, "Hanoi, Time and Again," 20 Nov. 2018 That freedom invites a lot of curiosity about identity and authenticity, from journalists of course, but also from brewers who visit from Japan. — Wei Tchou, Vogue, "New York’s First Sake Brewery Considers the Art of American Rice Wine," 24 Oct. 2018 In a recent settlement, the city’s insurer paid Brown $65,000. ● ● ● The DNA-testing industry has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the past decade, capitalizing on people’s curiosity about their ethnicity and ancestors. — Christine Willmsen, The Seattle Times, "Lynnwood man tried to use a home DNA test to qualify as a minority business owner. He was denied — now he’s suing.," 13 Sep. 2018 In response to consumer curiosity about whether those strawberries hailed from 60 miles away or from a produce farm in California, these young farmers — loosely defined to be people under 40 — are trying to ride the wave of a burgeoning food trend. — Katie Park, Philly.com, "Like your organic food? Pennsylvania's young farmers are growing it," 11 July 2018

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.

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Dictionary Entries near curiosity

curiouser and curiouser

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Last Updated

15 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for curiosity

The first known use of curiosity was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for curiosity

curiosity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of curiosity

: the desire to learn or know more about something or someone

: something that is interesting because it is unusual

See the full definition for curiosity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

curiosity

noun

cu·ri·os·i·ty | \ ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-sə-tē

plural curiosities

Kids Definition of curiosity

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