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View synonyms for curio

curio

[ kyoor-ee-oh ]

noun

, plural cu·ri·os.
  1. any unusual article, object of art, etc., valued as a curiosity.


curio

/ ˈkjʊərɪˌəʊ /

noun

  1. a small article valued as a collector's item, esp something fascinating or unusual
“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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Word History and Origins

Origin of curio1

First recorded in 1850–55; shortened from curiosity
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Word History and Origins

Origin of curio1

C19: shortened from curiosity
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Example Sentences

Originally only available for those who made the pilgrimage to Sai Anantam Ashram, it’s since become a beloved curio on the Internet, uploaded often to YouTube and garnering millions of views.

Brian Shuster is also developing a VR-friendly web browser known as Curio.

But Wigs on the Green provides a lesson in something other than style and is something more than a curio.

There must be at least twenty-five dollars' worth of pure gold in that slug if there's a penny—let alone its curio value.

But what was my amazement, as the light fell upon the face of him who bore it, to see not Curio but Isaac.

There is much haggling over the price of a curio, and but little chance of a bargain.

Then her lantern sought out a curio cabinet, of glass sides and gilded frame, standing in a corner.

As he passed the drawing-room door he saw Kate bending in front of the open curio cabinet.

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More About Curio

What does curio mean?

A curio is a small object that’s unusual, novel, or interesting, typically one that’s part of a collection of other such objects.

A curio can also be called a curiosity, and in fact it’s a shortening of that word. In a curio collection, there is often a variety of objects. The requirement for an item’s addition to the collection is usually just that it has to be curious, meaning that it arouses curiosity or is interesting in some way.

Just about any small thing that one finds interesting can be called a curio, but the word is most often applied to things like antique trinkets, small handcrafted items, or natural objects, like rocks, fossils, and shells.

The word curio is commonly associated with the type of case often used to display such collections, which is called a curio cabinet and usually looks like a bookcase with glass doors. The term curio shop typically refers to a souvenir shop that sells curios and other novelty items.

Example: When I travel, I like to buy things made by local artisans to add to my curio collection.

Where does curio come from?

The word curio was first recorded around the 1850s. It’s a shortened form of the word curiosity, which comes from the Latin cūriōsus, meaning “careful” or “inquisitive.”

Some people collect one single type of thing, like coins or stamps. But some curious collectors collect anything they consider curious. These items can have a high monetary value—like a rare coin, stamp, or antique clock—or they can be something found on the ground, like a nearly intact bird’s egg. A curio might be an object that holds some sense of mystery, like your great-great-grandfather’s toy from the 1800s, or an old compass you bought in a seaside shop. Some shops specialize in curios, or at least what they call curios, which might otherwise be called souvenirs, knickknacks, or tchotchkes. But if you find them curious or novel, they’re curios.

The point of having such items is usually not for the value but for the fun of looking at them, and people often display their curio collections in curio cabinets or similar display cases. Picture dark wooden shelves filled with narwhal tusks, ceremonial masks, nautilus shells, old instruments, peacock feathers, miniature paintings, scrimshaws, sparkling geodes, and some weird stuff preserved in jars.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of curio?

  • curios (plural)

What are some synonyms for curio?

What are some words that share a root or word element with curio

 

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing curio?

 

How is curio used in real life?

The word curio is most often found in the same place that curios are kept—a curio cabinet.

 

 

Try using curio!

Which of the following words would NOT be used to describe a curio?

A. unusual
B. rare
C. collectible
D. common

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