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curious

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curious¹

  • /ˈkjʊə.ɹi.əs/ UK
  • /ˈkjɔː-/ UK
  • /ˈkjɵːɹɪjəs/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /ˈkjoː-/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ US
  • /ˈkjɝ.i.əs/ US
  • /ˈkjʉɾe.əs/ Scotland
  • [ˈkjʉːɾe.əs] Scotland
  • /ˈkjʊ.ɹəs/ US, dialectal

Rhymes with -ʊəɹiəs

Where it comes from

From Middle English curious, from Old French curius, from Latin cūriōsus. The English word is cognate with Italian curioso, Occitan curios, Portuguese curioso, and Spanish curioso. Displaced native Old English firwitġeorn.

adjective more curious · curiouser · most curious · curiousest

  1. Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. Young children are naturally curious about the world and everything in it.
  2. Caused by curiosity. But he to ſhifte their curious requeſt, / Gan cauſen, why ſhe could not come in place; [...].
  3. Leading one to ask questions about; somewhat odd, out of the ordinary, or unusual. The platypus is a curious creature, with fur like a mammal and a beak like a bird.
  4. abbreviation, clipping Clipping of bi-curious.bi-curious It's not what I'm used to / Just wanna try you on / I'm curious for you / Caught my attention
  5. in compounds Interested in entering a romantic or sexual relationship with a specified group. On the app I’d ultimately go with, I presented myself truthfully, as a Republican-curious woman tired of the Democrats’ hopelessness and constant pivoting during a highly charged election year.
  6. obsolete Careful, fastidious, particular; (specifically) demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy. Honourable even in the curiousest pointes of honour, whereout there can no disgrace nor disperagement come unto her.
  7. obsolete Carefully or artfully constructed; made with great elegance or skill. To honour which a worlde of people reſorted unto the Lord de Bolognas caſtle; for the intertainment of whiche gueſtes, there neither wanted coſtly cheare, curious ſhewes, or pleaſaunt deviſes, that eyther money, friendſhip or cunning might compaſſe.

curious²

Where it comes from

Etymology tree

English curi(um)

Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.?

Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos?

Old Latin -ōssus

Latin -ōsus

Old French -usbor.

Middle English -ous

English -ous

English curious

From curi(um) + -ous.

adjective

  1. not comparable, rare Containing or pertaining to trivalent curium.

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