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View synonyms for

curious

[ kyoor-ee-uhs ]

adjective

  1. eager to learn or know; inquisitive.

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms:

  2. prying; meddlesome.

    Antonyms:

  3. arousing or exciting speculation, interest, or attention through being inexplicable or highly unusual; odd; strange:

    a curious sort of person;

    a curious scene.

    Synonyms: , ,

  4. Archaic.
    1. made or prepared skillfully.
    2. done with painstaking accuracy or attention to detail:

      a curious inquiry.

    3. careful; fastidious.
    4. marked by intricacy or subtlety.


curious

/ ˈʊəɪə /

adjective

  1. eager to learn; inquisitive
  2. overinquisitive; prying
  3. interesting because of oddness or novelty; strange; unexpected
  4. rare.
    (of workmanship, etc) highly detailed, intricate, or subtle
  5. obsolete.
    fastidious or hard to please
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈܰdzܲԱ, noun
  • ˈܰdzܲ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ۾·dzܲ· adverb
  • ۾·dzܲ·Ա noun
  • ԴDz·۾·dzܲ adjective
  • non·۾·dzܲ· adverb
  • non·۾·dzܲ·Ա noun
  • v·۾·dzܲ adjective
  • over·۾·dzܲ· adverb
  • over·۾·dzܲ·Ա noun
  • p·۾·dzܲ adjective
  • super·۾·dzܲ· adverb
  • super·۾·dzܲ·Ա noun
  • ܲ·۾·dzܲ adjective
  • un·۾·dzܲ· adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of curious1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin ūōܲ “careful, inquisitive,” equivalent to ū- (combining form of ū “care”) + -ōܲ -ous; cure
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Word History and Origins

Origin of curious1

C14: from Latin ūōܲ taking pains over something, from ū care
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Synonym Study

Curious, inquisitive, meddlesome, prying refer to taking an undue (and petty) interest in others' affairs. Curious implies a desire to know what is not properly one's concern: curious about a neighbor's habits. Inquisitive implies asking impertinent questions in an effort to satisfy curiosity: inquisitive about a neighbor's habits. Meddlesome implies thrusting oneself into and taking an active part in other people's affairs entirely unasked and unwelcomed: a meddlesome cousin who tries to run the affairs of a family. Prying implies a meddlesome and persistent inquiring into others' affairs: a prying reporter inquiring into the secrets of a business firm.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I detect a curious paradox right now: anger confronts an expectation of widespread indifference.

From

So I’m curious, do you still have sparrow beef?

From

As a curious kid, Richardson took apart electronics and put them back together.

From

Sir Keir Starmer even told us on the record he was going to "have to be unpopular" – a curious ambition for a politician!

From

The Times was curious to see where people were spotting the three most frequently observed lizard species in Southern California, the fence, the common side-blotched lizard and the southern alligator lizard.

From

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curiosity killed the catcurite