curiosity

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cu·ri·os·i·ty

(kyo͝or′ē-ŏs′ĭ-tē)

n. pl. cu·ri·os·i·ties

1. A desire to know or learn.

2. A desire to know about people or things that do not concern one; nosiness.

3. An object that arouses interest, as by being novel or extraordinary: kept the carved bone and displayed it as a curiosity.

4. A strange or odd aspect.

5. Archaic Fastidiousness.

[Middle English curiosite, from Old French, from Latin cūriōsitās, from cūriōsus, inquisitive; see curious.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

curiosity

(ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. an eager desire to know; inquisitiveness

a. the quality of being curious; strangeness

b. (as modifier): the ring had curiosity value only.

3. something strange or fascinating

4. a rare or strange object; curio

5. obsolete fastidiousness

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cu•ri•os•i•ty

(ˌkyʊər iˈɒs ɪ ti)

n., pl. -ties.

1. the desire to learn or know about anything; inquisitiveness.

2. a curious, rare, or novel thing.

3. a strange, curious, or interesting quality.

4. Archaic. carefulness; fastidiousness.

[1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin]

Curiosity

Aloof curiosity like that of sixth-formers watching a sword-swallower —Frank Swinnerton
See Also: REMOTENESS
Curious as a monkey —Anon
Curious as a two-year old —Anon
Curiosity … like thirst —Alice McDermott
Inquisitive as a goat —Erich Maria Remarque
Inquisitive as an X-ray —Anon
Inquisitive as a reporter smelling a scoop —Elyse Sommer
Pick and pry like a doctor or archeologist —Sylvia Plath
Poking his nose everywhere like a dog smelling out a trail —American colloquialism
Suppressed her curiosity as if squashing a cockroach —Marge Piercy

Curiosity

(See also MEDDLE-SOMENESS.)

eavesdropper One who clandestinely listens in on private conversations; a fly on the wall, a snoop or spy. It was formerly the practice of such persons to listen in on private conversations by standing under the eaves of the dwelling in which they occurred. The dropper part of the term seems to have some connection with rain dripping off the eaves and onto the listener standing under them, as indicated by the following passage describing the punishment prescribed by the Freemasons for a convicted eavesdropper:

To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.

The term dates from 1487.

fly on the wall An eavesdropper, an unseen witness. In this expression, the implication is that a small, inconspicuous fly that has settled on a wall is able to witness events without being noticed. The phrase is nearly always heard as part of a person’s expressed desire to see and hear certain conversations or goings on (“I’d love to be a fly on the wall”); rarely is it used in contexts implying actual clandestine behavior. This same concept, that is, a small, unobtrusive insect acting as a witness, may have given rise to bug ‘a concealed recording device or microphone.’ However, it is more likely that bug was used to describe the tiny microphone, which resembles an insect.

rubberneck A person who gapes and gawks; one who stares intently at something or someone; a curious observer; a tourist. This expression alludes to the elasticlike neck contortions of one trying to view everything in sight. Although the phrase sometimes carries a disparaging implication of unjustified curiosity, rubberneck is more often applied humorously to conspicuous sightseers in an unfamiliar locale who gaze wonderingly at scenes taken for granted by the natives.

They are the nobility—the swells. They don’t hang around the streets like tourists and rubbernecks. (G. B. McCutcheon, Truxton King, 1910)

take a gander To glance at; to look at out of curiosity. This expression, derived from the inquisitive male goose, enjoys widespread use in the United States and Great Britain.

Take a gander at the see-through door below. See that corrugated piece of steel? (Scientific American, October, 1971)

curiosity

The following words can all be used to describe a person who is eager to find out about someone's life, or about an event or situation:

curious

inquisitive

interested

nosy

prying

1. 'curious'

Curious is a neutral word, which does not show approval or disapproval.

Steve was intensely curious about the world I came from.

2. 'interested'

Interested is usually complimentary when it is used to talk about someone's interest in a person's life.

She put on a good show of looking interested.

3. 'nosy' and 'prying'

Nosy and prying are used to show disapproval.

'Who is the girl you came in with?' – 'Don't be so nosy.'

Computer-based records can easily be protected from prying eyes by simple systems of codes.

Prying is usually used with eyes.

4. 'inquisitive'

Inquisitive is sometimes used to show disapproval, but it can also be neutral or even complimentary.

Mr Courtney was surprised. 'A ring, you say?' He tried not to sound inquisitive.

Up close, he was a man with inquisitive sparkling eyes and a fresh, very down-to-earth smile.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	curiosity - a state in which you want to learn more about something wonder cognitive state, state of mind - the state of a person's cognitive processes desire to know, lust for learning, thirst for knowledge - curiosity that motivates investigation and study interest, involvement - a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something; "an interest in music" curiousness, inquisitiveness - a state of active curiosity
	2.	curiosity - something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting curio, oddment, peculiarity, rarity, oddity object, physical object - a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow; "it was full of rackets, balls and other objects" bric-a-brac, knickknackery, nicknack, whatnot, knickknack - miscellaneous curios collectable, collectible - things considered to be worth collecting (not necessarily valuable or antique) collector's item, piece de resistance, showpiece - the outstanding item (the prize piece or main exhibit) in a collection

curiosity

noun

1. inquisitiveness, interest, prying, snooping (informal), nosiness (informal) Mr Lim was a constant source of curiosity to his neighbours.

2. oddity, wonder, sight, phenomenon, spectacle, freak, marvel, novelty, rarity The company is a curiosity in the world of publishing.

3. collector's item, trinket, curio, knick-knack, objet d'art (French), bibelot The mantelpieces and windowsills are adorned with curiosities.

Proverbs
"Curiosity killed the cat"

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

curiosity

noun

1. Mental acquisitiveness:

curiousness, inquisitiveness, interest.

Idiom: thirst for knowledge.

2. Undue interest in the affairs of others:

curiousness, inquisitiveness.

Informal: nosiness, snoopiness.

Translations

حُب الأسِتطلاعشَيء نادِر وغَريب

kuriozitazvědavost

kuriositetnysgerrighedsjældenhed

Neugier Neugierde Rarität Kuriosität Kuriosum

περιέργεια

curiosidad

uteliaisuus

curiosité

érdekesség

fágætiforvitni

curiosità curioso rarit...stranamente strano

nieuwsgierigheid

merkverdighet nysgjerrighet

curiosidade

любопытство

radovednost

nyfikenhet

ilginç ve acayipmerak

奇品好奇心珍品

curiosity

[ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪtɪ]

A. N

1. (= inquisitiveness) → curiosidad f (about por, acerca de) out of curiosity → por curiosidad
curiosity killed the cat → la curiosidad mata al hombre

2. (= rare thing) → curiosidad f

B. CPD curiosity shop N → tienda f de curiosidades
curiosity value N its only attraction is its curiosity value → su único interés es el valor que tiene como rareza

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

curiosity

[ˌkjʊəriˈɒsɪti] n

(= inquisitiveness) → curiosité f

(= rare object) → curiosité f curiosity shopcuriosity shop n → magasin m de brocante

curiosity

no pl (= inquisitiveness) → Neugier f; (for knowledge) → Wissbegier(de) f; out of or from curiosity → aus Neugier; curiosity killed the cat (Prov) → sei nicht so neugierig

(= object, person) → Kuriosität f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

curiosity

[ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪtɪ] n → curiosità f inv
curiosity killed the cat → la curiosità si paga cara

curious

(ˈkjuəriəs) adjective

1. strange; odd. a curious habit.

2. anxious or interested (to learn). I'm curious (to find out) whether he passed his exams.

ˈcuriously adverb

ˌcuriˈosity (-ˈo-) – plural ˌcuriˈosities – noun

1. eagerness to learn. She was very unpopular because of her curiosity about other people's affairs.

2. something strange and rare. That old chair is quite a curiosity.

References in classic literature ?

The latter evinced the usual curiosity to know all about the strangers, whence they came whither they were going, the object of their journey, and the adventures they had experienced.

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When my guest was a little recovered I had great trouble to keep off the men, who wished to ask him a thousand questions; but I would not allow him to be tormented by their idle curiosity, in a state of body and mind whose restoration evidently depended upon entire repose.

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I can satisfy your curiosity, and pay my debt in that way.

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Very early in my life, possibly because of the insatiable curiosity that was born in me, I came to dislike the performances of trained animals.

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How all regarded the happy dancer, how many envied him the high favor; how increased curiosity, who the masked knight could be.

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Price's; and two days afterwards, it was a fact ascertained to Fanny by the following letter from his sister, opened and read by her, on another account, with the most anxious curiosity:--

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Prince Andrew gazed with anxious curiosity at that impassive face and wished he could tell what, if anything, this man was thinking and feeling at that moment.

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Among the other forlorn wanderers in the Parks, there appeared latterly a trim little figure in black (with the face protected from notice behind a crape veil), which was beginning to be familiar, day after day, to nursemaids and children, and to rouse curiosity among harmless solitaries meditating on benches, and idle vagabonds strolling over the grass.

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There was a circumstance behind which his curiosity, cold as it was, most eagerly longed for.

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The Miss Steeles, as she expected, had now all the benefit of these jokes, and in the eldest of them they raised a curiosity to know the name of the gentleman alluded to, which, though often impertinently expressed, was perfectly of a piece with her general inquisitiveness into the concerns of their family.

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Altho' I cannot agree with you in supposing that I shall never again be exposed to Misfortunes as unmerited as those I have already experienced, yet to avoid the imputation of Obstinacy or ill-nature, I will gratify the curiosity of your daughter; and may the fortitude with which I have suffered the many afflictions of my past Life, prove to her a useful lesson for the support of those which may befall her in her own.

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"It seems that the admiral took it into his head (I suppose during your absence) to go to London by himself and to satisfy some curiosity of his own about Norah by calling in Portland Place, under pretense of renewing his old friendship with the Tyrrels.