curiosity

What it means

1. uncountableInquisitiveness; the tendency to ask and learn about things by asking questions, investigating, or exploring.First known use 17th c.

   They learn that reading, besides being something one does at school, is also something one can do on one's own, for fun, to satisfy curiosity, or even to "expand one's horizons.”

   1972, Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren, How to Read a Book, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 25

   3 more examples

   It was the first time that the lawyer had been received in that part of his friend's quarters; and he eyed the dingy windowless structure with curiosity, and gazed round with a distasteful sense of strangeness as he crossed the theatre, […]

   1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Incident of the Letter”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 44

   "Certainly there is nothing wrong with Alvin's intelligence, but many of the things that should concern him seem to be a matter of complete indifference. On the other hand, he shows a morbid curiosity regarding subjects which we do not generally discuss."

   1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, page 39

   Curiosity about the power of self-control skills, which include conscientiousness, self-discipline, and perseverance, arose from recent empirical observations that preschool Head Start, an ambitious, federally funded program of special services launched in 1965 to boost the intellectual development of needy children, has failed to achieve the goal of boosting IQ scores. But the programs have unexpectedly succeeded in lowering the former pupils’ rates of teen pregnancy, school dropout, delinquency, and work absenteeism.

   2013 September-October, Terrie Moffitt et al., “Lifelong Impact of Early Self-Control”, in American Scientist

   Synonyms: inquisitiveness · Antonyms: ignorance

2. countableuncountableA unique or extraordinary object which arouses interest.First known use 17th c.

   He put the strangely shaped rock in his curiosity cabinet.

   2 more examples

   [The room] was adorned with a great number of nicknacks and curiosities, which might have engaged the attention of a virtuoso.

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

   The loss of his tye-periwig and laced hat, which were curiosities of the kind, did not at all contribute to the improvement of the picture […].

   1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC

3. countableobsoleteuncountableCareful, delicate construction; fine workmanship, delicacy of building.First known use 16th–19th c.

   wee built a homely thing like a barne, set upon Cratchets, covered with rafts, sedge, and earth, so also was the walls; the best of our houses of the like curiosity, but the most part farre much worse workmanship […]

   1631, John Smith, Advertisements, Kupperman, published 1988, page 81

In a sentence

It was the first time that the lawyer had been received in that part of his friend's quarters; and he eyed the dingy windowless structure with curiosity, and gazed round with a distasteful sense of strangeness as he crossed the theatre, […]

1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Incident of the Letter”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 44

Where it comes from

1. Latincūriōsitātem
2. Anglo-Normancuriouseté
3. Middle Englishcuriosite
4. Englishcuriosity

From Middle English curiosite, variant of curiouste, from Anglo-Norman curiouseté, from Latin cūriōsitātem, accusative of cūriōsitās. By surface analysis, curious + -ity. Displaced native Old English firwitt.

First known use: 17th c.