Etymologically
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curiosus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kuː.riˈoː.sʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ku.riˈɔː.s̬us][1]

Forms

cūriōsus (feminine cūriōsa, neuter cūriōsum, comparative cūriōsior); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

The OLD derives it from cūra “care” with the suffix -ōsus.[2][3][4] Wiktionary takes it as a back-formation from incūriōsus “careless”, removing the negative prefix.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom the OLD cites for the sense “careworn”.[3][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant careful, diligent, painstaking, as Cicero's man careful in every kind of history, and of things carefully made, as in Celsus.[2][5] It meant over-careful, fussy, as in Varro, and of things laboured, elaborate.[2] It meant eager for knowledge, inquiring, as in Varro, and inquisitive, meddlesome, as in Terence.[2] In Plautus it apparently meant careworn.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant attentive, diligent, careful, devoted, curious.[6] In Medieval Latin it meant anxious, careful, skilful, and as a noun a monk in charge of an obedience.[7][8] It survives in Italian and Spanish curioso.[1] English curious came in the mid-14th century through French, first meaning “subtle”.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of someone careworn.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of an inquisitive person.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a careful historian.[5][3]
  • mid-14th century – English curious is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Careful, diligent.[2]
  2. Over-careful, fussy; elaborate.[2]
  3. Eager for knowledge.[2]
  4. Inquisitive, curious; meddlesome.[2]
  5. Careworn.[2]

Word family

  • cūriōsitās
  • cūriōsulus
  • incūriōsus
  • percūriōsus
  • cūriōsē
  • cūra
  • cūrābilis
  • cūragendārius
  • cūrāns
  • cūrātē
  • cūrātiō
  • cūrātor
  • cūrātōria
  • cūrātōrīcius
  • cūrātōrius
  • English curious

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com