DictionaryAI

curious

adjective
KYUUR-ee-uhs/ˈkjʊ.ɹi.əs/UKKYOOR-ee-uhs/ˈkjʊə.ɹi.əs/

6 meanings of curious

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Wanting to know or learn about something.

    Like a cat that wants to look inside every open box.

    The curious child kept asking why the sky was blue.

    She was too curious to leave the box unopened.

    UsageSay curious about something.

    Similarinquisitive, interested, inquiring, nosy, intrigued

    Oppositeuninterested, indifferent, incurious, apathetic

    Note
  2. 2
    strangeadjective
    Strange or unusual in a way that makes you want to know more.

    Like a strange noise that makes you stop and wonder what made it.

    A curious smell came from the back of the kitchen.

    We found a curious old coin buried in the garden.

    UsageSay a curious thing happened.

    Similarstrange, unusual, odd, bizarre, extraordinary

    Oppositeordinary, normal, usual, unremarkable

    Note
  3. 3
    adjectivein compounds
    Interested in dating or having sex with a kind of person you have not been with before.

    Her dating profile said she was Republican-curious, and soon conservative men were sending her messages.

    Tired of dating musicians, he joked that he was now nerd-curious and wanted a girlfriend who loves math.

    UsageJoined with a hyphen, as in conservative-curious.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    adjectiveobsolete
    Made with great care and skill.
    And the curious girdle of the Ephod, which is upon it, ſhall bee of the ſame, according to the worke thereof; euen of gold, of blew, and purple, and ſcarlet, and fine twined linnen.
    1611, The Holy Bible, King James VersionHere, curious means made with great care and skill.
    Note
  2. 5
    adjectiveobsolete
    Very careful and hard to please.
    Honourable even in the curiousest pointes of honour, whereout there can no disgrace nor disperagement come unto her.
    c. 1580, Philip Sidney, The Countesse of Pembrokes ArcadiaHere, curiousest means most exacting and demanding, down to the finest detail.
    I am ſo fraught with curious buſineſſe, that / I leaue out ceremony.
    c. 1610, William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”Here, curious means needing great care and a high standard.
    Note
  3. 6
    adjectiverare
    Containing the rare radioactive metal curium in one of its forms.
    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of curious apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–5

It came through Old French from the Latin word cūriōsus.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Meaning 6

It comes from 'curium' plus the ending '-ous'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact