curios

IPA/ˈkjʊə.ri.əʊ/
KK[kjˈʊrioz]IPA/ˈkjʊr.i.oʊ/

curios — noun

  • curiossingular
  • curiosesplural

1. small unusual objects that people collect or keep because they are rare, strange

1.nounB2
Definition

small unusual objects that people collect or keep because they are rare, strange, or decorative

Example

Emma found several curios in an antique shop — an ivory elephant and an old compass.

finding curios in shops or markets

The kitchen of Faisal's grandmother had many curios — old ceramic pots and hand-painted plates.

describing someone's collection of curios

Common collocations
  • collect curios
  • a collection of curios
  • hunt for curios
  • antique curios
  • Victorian curios
  • foreign curios
Synonyms
  • collectible

    broader; any item sought by collectors, not necessarily unusual

  • novelty

    emphasises newness or strangeness, not necessarily worth collecting

  • curiosity

    slightly formal; an object that arouses interest because of its strangeness

Grammar Patterns

a collection of curios

curios from [place/time]

Usage Note

Often used in the plural when describing a collection or shop display. The singular 'curio' is more common when pointing to a single object. The word suggests small decorative items rather than large antiques or valuable artworks.

Common Mistakes

I bought a beautiful curio at a department store.
I bought a beautiful curio at an antique shop.
'curio' suggests an unusual or rare object, not just any decorative item from a regular store.
This painting is a valuable curio.
This painting is a valuable antique.
'curio' typically describes small decorative objects, not large artworks.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe objects that draw interest, but they differ in scope and emphasis. 'Curio' specifically means a small, unusual, decorative item — the emphasis is on rarity and visual strangeness. 'Collectible' is much broader: it covers anything that people actively seek and gather, from stamps to toys, regardless of whether the item is unusual. 'Novelty' highlights newness or gimmicky appeal; a novelty item may be mass-produced and not genuinely rare. 'Curiosity' is more formal and suggests an object that sparks intellectual wonder — a museum might display a 'curiosity' like a two-headed animal specimen. Use 'curio' when you want to stress the small, decorative, slightly exotic quality. For example: 'The shop sold old curios from Asia' sounds natural, but 'The shop sold old collectibles from Asia' would include mass-produced items too.

curio ↗collectible ↗novelty ↗curiosity ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'curio' is a shortened form of 'curiosity', which came into English from French 'curiosité', and ultimately from Latin 'curiositas' (meaning 'care, attention, curiosity'). In the mid-19th century, people began using 'curio' as a casual short form for a curious or unusual object, especially one worth collecting.

First known use

1849

1849, in the meaning defined above