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curiosity

Etymology and origin of the English word curiosity

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1380
Borrowed from
Old French curiosete
Ultimate origin
Latin (curiositas)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˌkjʊə.riˈɒs.ə.ti/, US /ˌkjʊr.iˈɑː.sə.t̬i/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old French curiosete (“curiosity, avidity, choosiness”) (modern curiosité),[2][3][4] from Latin cūriōsitās, desire for knowledge, inquisitiveness,[2][4] from cūriōsus, careful, inquiring eagerly, meddlesome (see curious), related to cūra, care (see cure).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In a bad sense, an undue desire to inquire into things, prying: about 1380 in the OED;[5] careful attention to detail, also skilled workmanship, the late 14th century in Etymonline.[2]

Semantic evolution

In Middle English the desire to know was usually seen as a fault, prying or vain interest in worldly things.[2] Fastidiousness (about 1386), carefulness (about 1430) and skill or ingenuity (1603) are obsolete senses.[5] The neutral or good sense, a desire to learn about what is strange or unknown, is from the early 17th century, 1613 in the OED.[2][5] An object of interest, something rare or strange, is from the 1640s,[2] and curiosity shop from 1818.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1380 – prying inquisitiveness.[5]
  • c. 1391 – attention to detail (obsolete).[5]
  • 1613 – a desire to learn.[5]
  • 1640s – a rare or strange object.[2]
  • 1818 – curiosity shop.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A strong desire to know or learn something.
  2. A desire to know about matters that do not concern one; nosiness.
  3. A strange, rare or interesting object; a curio.

Word family

  • curio

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Curiosity.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/curiosity. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·