plural curiosities
1
: the desire to learn or know more about something or someone
Her natural curiosity led her to ask more questions.
The arrival of a construction crew at their house attracted/sparked/aroused the curiosity of their neighbors.
The movie failed to satisfy her curiosity about the assassination.
intellectual curiosity
He went into the store out of curiosity. [=because he was curious to see what was in the store]
Note: The expression curiosity killed the cat is used to warn people that too much curiosity can be dangerous.
2
: something that is interesting because it is unusual
Tobacco was once a curiosity in Europe.
The antique shop was full of curiosities.
Cite this Entry
“Curiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/curiosity. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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