Reading Theme:
Curiosity: Definition, Usage & Examples
Meaning 1：desire to know (curiosity)
curiosity
/ˌkjʊə.riˈɒs.ə.ti/
n.
The feeling you get when you really want to know more about something new or unknown.
desire to know
➕
/dɪˈzaɪər tə nəʊ/
n.
An eager or strong desire to learn, explore, and understand something new, unfamiliar, or mysterious. It is a driving force behind inquiry and discovery.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'cura' (care, concern) + '-osus' (full of) > 'curiosus' (careful, inquisitive) + '-itas' (noun suffix).
💡 Mnemonic
CURE your I-O CITY of ignorance by ASKING questions. CURE + I + O + CITY sounds like curiosity.
📖 Example
The child's eyes were wide with curiosity as he watched the robot toy move for the first time.
The child's eyes were wide with a desire to know as he watched the robot toy move for the first time.
🔗 Collocations
intellectual curiosity – A deep desire to understand things at a mental or academic level.
natural curiosity – An inborn or instinctive tendency to be inquisitive.
pique someone's curiosity – To stimulate or arouse someone's interest and desire to know more.
🔄 Synonyms
inquisitiveness (n.) – A quality of being curious and asking many questions.
interest (n.) – A feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or to be involved with it.
nosiness (n.) – An excessive or intrusive curiosity about others' affairs.
🚫 Antonyms
indifference (n.) – Lack of interest, concern, or desire to know.
apathy (n.) – A lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern.
🌱 Derivatives
curious (adj.) – Eager to know or learn something; strange or unusual.
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'curiosity' evolved from the Latin 'curiosus', meaning 'careful' or 'inquisitive'. The modern sense of an eager desire to know or learn emerged in the 14th century, epitomized by the proverb 'curiosity killed the cat', a 20th-century warning about excessive inquiry.
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