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curious definition

cu·ri·ous (kyo̵or′ē əs)

adjective curiouser cu·ri·ous·er

  1. eager to learn or know
  2. unnecessarily inquisitive; prying
  3. arousing attention or interest because unusual or strange; odd
  4. Rare highly detailed, as in workmanship; elaborate
  5. Obsolete fastidious

Etymology: ME < OFr curios < L curiosus, careful, diligent, curious; akin to cura, care: see cure

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

curious Synonyms

curious

modif.

  1. Strange

    odd, singular, unique; see unusual 2.

  2. Interested

    inquiring, questioning, prying; see inquisitive, interested 1, meddlesome. See syn. study at inquisitive.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

curious Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • intellectually: Welcome to a vibrant and intellectually curious and innovative student body.

Infinitive complement

  • know: Curious to know what happened to some of the others.

Modifies a noun

  • coincidence: Either the body fell from the roof, or a very curious coincidence has occurred.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: Question: It does seem curious then that the oil ministry was so successfully protected and the hospitals so unsuccessfully.
curious usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

curious quotes

Be not curious in unnecessary matters: for more things are shewed unto thee than men understand.

-Bible (Apocrypha)

Doyouknow,Mr Hopper, dear Agatha and Iaresomuch interested in Australia. It must be so pretty with all the dear littlekangaroosflying about. Agatha has found iton the map.What a curious shape it is! Just like a large packing case.

-Wilde, Oscar Fingal O'FlahertieWills

curious quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"curious." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/curious>

APA Style

curious. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/curious

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