curio
KYOO-ree-oh
/ˈkjʊə.ri.əʊ/
A rare, unusual, or intriguing object.
Implies the object is valued for its strangeness or historical interest rather than its utility or beauty.
The story behind the word. A 19th-century abbreviation of 'curiosity'. It stems from the Latin 'cura', meaning 'care' or 'attention'.
Word relationships
- oddity: An oddity is just something strange; a curio is a strange object that is collected.
- antique: An antique is valued for its age; a curio is valued for its unusual nature.
- commodity: A common, mass-produced item with no unique interest.
Commonly confused with
- curiosity: Curiosity is the feeling of wanting to know; curio is the physical object that causes that feeling.
Collocations
- rare curio
- cabinet of curios
- collecting curios
Example sentences
- "The shop was a treasure trove of Victorian curios, including a stuffed pufferfish and an ivory-handled cane." Describing an antique shop.
- "'The room was filled with curios from his travels in the Orient,' the biographer noted." In a historical context.
Memory hook
A 'curio' makes you 'curious'. Curious object.
When not to use
Do not use for common, everyday items.
Fun facts
- 'Cabinets of Curiosities' (Wunderkammer) were the precursors to modern museums.
Related words
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