Curiosity — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē/ cu·ri·os·i·ty

Meaning & Definition of Curiosity

Curiosity (noun)

  1. desire to know:
  2. inquisitive interest in others' concerns, nosiness
  3. interest leading to inquiry

Curiosity (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an eager desire to find out about things that are often none of one's business

    "our neighbor's curiosity about what we were doing last night was really offensive"

    similar: curiousness, inquisitiveness, nosiness
    related: attentiveness, concern, interest, regard, wonderment, inquiry, interrogation, prying, questioning, interference, intrusiveness, meddlesomeness, obtrusiveness, officiousness, eavesdropping, rubbernecking
    opposite: incuriosity, incuriousness
    near: apathy, disinterestedness, disregard, indifference, unconcern

  2. something strange or unusual that is an object of interest

    "the museum's curiosities include items constructed entirely out of toothpicks"

    similar: curio, exotic, objet d'art, oddity, oddment, rarity
    related: found object, objet trouvé, curiosa, ephemera, virtu, marvel, prodigy, rara avis, rare bird, wonder, abnormality, anomaly, freak, monster, monstrosity, malformation, mutant, mutation

  3. a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest

    "an assortment of curiosities from around the world that the family picked up during various vacations"

    similar: bauble, bibelot, curio, doodad, gaud, gewgaw, gimcrack, kickshaw, knickknack, novelty, ornamental, tchotchke, trinket
    related: bijouterie, bric-a-brac, gimcrackery, trinketry, trumpery, virtu, bagatelle, trifle, figurine, objet d'art, ornament, keepsake, memento, souvenir, conversation piece, collectible, collector's item

  4. an odd or peculiar habit

    "Charles Dickens typically endowed his characters with an array of endearing curiosities"

    similar: crotchet, eccentricity, erraticism, idiosyncrasy, individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity, peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity, tic, trick, twist
    related: affectation, airs, attribute, characteristic, mark, property, trait, custom, habit, pattern, practice, way, wont, addiction, abnormality, neuroticism, perversion, weirdness, disposition, genius, leaning, partiality, bent, inclination, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn, attitude, character, humor, identity, individuality, nature, personality, temperament
    near: conformity, sameness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Curiosity

The most common words with a similar meaning to Curiosity:

curiousness, inquisitiveness, nosiness, curio, exotic, objet d'art, oddity, oddment, rarity, bauble, bibelot, doodad, gaud, gewgaw, gimcrack, kickshaw, knickknack, novelty, ornamental, tchotchke, trinket, crotchet, eccentricity, erraticism, idiosyncrasy, individualism, kink, mannerism, peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity, tic, trick, twist

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Curiosity

Words with the opposite meaning of Curiosity:

incuriosity, incuriousness

Related Words for Curiosity

attentiveness, concern, interest, regard, wonderment, inquiry, interrogation, prying, questioning, interference, intrusiveness, meddlesomeness, obtrusiveness, officiousness, eavesdropping, rubbernecking, found object, objet trouvé, curiosa, ephemera, virtu, marvel, prodigy, rara avis, rare bird, wonder, abnormality, anomaly, freak, monster

Near Antonyms of Curiosity

apathy, disinterestedness, disregard, indifference, unconcern, conformity, sameness

Word Forms of Curiosity

Inflections: curiosities

Origin & Etymology of Curiosity

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Curiosity

Frequently Asked Questions about Curiosity

What does "Curiosity" mean?

"Curiosity" means desire to know:. As a noun, it is defined as: desire to know:. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Curiosity"?

Other words for "Curiosity" include curiousness, inquisitiveness, nosiness, curio, exotic, objet d'art, oddity and oddment. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Curiosity" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Curiosity"?

There are 123 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Curiosity". Common alternatives include curiousness, inquisitiveness, nosiness, curio, exotic, objet d'art, oddity, oddment, rarity and bauble.

What is the opposite of "Curiosity"?

Antonyms of "Curiosity" include incuriosity and incuriousness. Near antonyms include apathy, disinterestedness, disregard and indifference.

How do you use "Curiosity" in a sentence?

Examples of "Curiosity" in a sentence: "our neighbor's curiosity about what we were doing last night was really offensive"; "the museum's curiosities include items constructed entirely out of toothpicks"; "an assortment of curiosities from around the world that the family picked up during various vacations".

Is "Curiosity" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Curiosity" is a noun.

Is "Curiosity" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Curiosity" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Curiosity"?

"Curiosity" is pronounced /ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē/ and divided into syllables as cu·ri·os·i·ty.