curiosity
/ˌkjʊəriˈɒsəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē ˌkyər-/ (ame, mw)
curiosity — noun
- curiositysingular
- curiositiesplural
1. the strong feeling of wanting to find out more about something that catches your
the strong feeling of wanting to find out more about something that catches your attention and makes you ask questions or explore
The children's curiosity about the old lighthouse led them to explore the rocky shore.
curiosity about [topic] + leads to action
Out of pure curiosity, Minh opened the dusty box to see what was inside.
Rafael's curiosity about how clocks work drove him to study engineering at university.
A good teacher knows how to spark curiosity in even the most reluctant students.
It was simple curiosity that made Karim ask about the strange markings on the wall.
- inquisitiveness
more formal; often suggests asking many detailed questions, sometimes with a nosy tone
- interest
broader and less intense; does not imply active investigation
- wonder
more about amazement and admiration than active inquiry
- indifference
lack of interest or concern
- apathy
absence of emotion or enthusiasm about anything
文法句型
curiosity about [something]
out of curiosity
curiosity + verb (drives, leads, makes)
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense. Do not use with 'a' or in plural ('a curiosity', 'curiosities'). Use quantifiers such as 'a sense of curiosity', 'a spark of curiosity', or 'out of curiosity'.
常見錯誤
❖ 'I have a curiosity about how planes fly.' ✅ 'I am curious about how planes fly.' or 'I have a sense of curiosity about how planes fly.' — 'curiosity' as a desire is uncountable and does not take 'a'.
❖ 'She opened the letter with curiosities.' ✅ 'She opened the letter with curiosity.' — The plural form 'curiosities' means rare objects, not the feeling of wanting to know.
2. an object, fact, or detail that attracts attention because it is very unusual, o
an object, fact, or detail that attracts attention because it is very unusual, old, or interesting to collectors
The antique shop had a small shelf of curiosities from the Qing dynasty.
countable noun: a curiosity / curiosities (plural)
Inês found an old compass at the market, a curiosity once used by sailors a century ago.
The museum's collection includes curiosities such as a two-headed turtle preserved in a jar.
Folake kept a curiosity on her shelf: a tiny carved elephant from her grandmother.
The old map was a curiosity among historians because it showed islands that no longer exist.
- commonplace
an ordinary, unremarkable thing
文法句型
a curiosity (singular)
curiosities (plural)
[noun] + is a curiosity
用法筆記
Countable in this sense. Use with 'a' in singular and 'curiosities' in plural. The object is usually a physical item, but the word can also describe a noteworthy fact or detail that surprises people because it is so unusual.
常見錯誤
❖ 'The shop was full of curiosity.' ✅ 'The shop was full of curiosities.' — When referring to objects, 'curiosity' is countable and needs a determiner or plural form.
❖ 'I bought a beautiful curiosity at the market' (meaning an odd, interesting item). ✅ This is correct! But note that 'a curiosity' always means a rare/unusual thing, not a feeling.