cu·ri·ous
(kyŏŏŕē-əs)
[Middle English, from Old French curios, from Latin cūriōsus, careful, inquisitive, from cūra, care; see cure.]
adjective
- Eager to learn more: curious investigators; a trapdoor that made me curious.
- Unduly inquisitive; prying.
- Arousing interest because of novelty or strangeness: a curious fact.
- Archaic
- Accomplished with skill or ingenuity.
- Extremely careful; scrupulous.
derivatives
- cúri·ous·ly
- adverb
- cúri·ous·ness
- noun
synonyms:
curious, inquisitive, snoopy, nosy These adjectives apply to persons who show a marked desire for information or knowledge. Curious most often implies an avid desire to know or learn, though it can suggest prying: A curious child is a teacher's delight. A curious neighbor can be a nuisance. Inquisitive frequently suggests excessive curiosity and the asking of many questions: “Remember, no revolvers. The police are, I believe, proverbially inquisitive” (Lord Dunsany) Snoopy suggests underhanded prying: The snoopy hotel detective spied on guests in the lobby. Nosy implies impertinent curiosity likened to that of an animal using its nose to examine or probe: My nosy colleague went through my mail.- See also: strange
