curated
kyoo-REY-tid
/ˈkjʊəreɪtɪd/
Selected, organized, and presented with care and professional or expert knowledge.
Implies that a collection is not random, but has been thoughtfully chosen to tell a story, maintain high quality, or fit a specific taste.
The story behind the word. Historically, a 'curate' was a priest who cared for the souls of a parish. Later, the term 'curator' was applied to guardians of museum collections who cared for physical artifacts. In the 21st century, the word exploded into popular culture to describe anyone who carefully selects items, from boutique owners to Spotify playlist creators.
Word relationships
- selected: Selected simply means chosen, whereas curated implies expert choice, organization, and thematic presentation.
- haphazard: Haphazard means lacking any obvious principle of organization or selection.
Commonly confused with
- collected: Collected means gathered together, while curated means gathered, filtered, and presented with specific artistic or professional intent.
Word family
- curate (verb): To select, organize, and look after items in a collection.
- curator (noun): A keeper or custodian of a museum or other collection.
Collocations
- curated collection
- curated selection
- carefully curated
- curated experience
Example sentences
- "The shop offers a curated selection of mid-century modern furniture and rare art pieces." A review of a high-end boutique.
- "He listened to a curated playlist designed to help students focus during long study sessions." A description of a digital music playlist.
Memory hook
A curator takes 'cure' (care) of a collection so that it is perfectly presented. Chosen with care.
When not to use
Avoid using for collections that are randomly thrown together or unorganized; a messy pile of clothes is not curated.
Fun facts
- The overuse of the word 'curated' in marketing (e.g., 'curated cheese boards' or 'curated subscription boxes') has led some linguists to label it one of the most overused buzzwords of the decade.
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