curiosity
/ˌkjʊəɹɪˈɒsɪti/ · cur.i.o.s.i.ty
noun
- Inquisitiveness; the tendency to ask and learn about things by asking questions, investigating, or exploring. Her curiosity about the abandoned house led her to explore it.
- A unique or extraordinary object which arouses interest. He put the strangely shaped rock in his curiosity cabinet.
- Careful, delicate construction; fine workmanship, delicacy of building. The architect's attention to detail was a hallmark of her curiosity in design.
Did you know? The word 'curiosity' has been used to describe the cabinets of wonder, or curiosity cabinets, that were popular in the 16th to 18th centuries, where people would display unusual and exotic objects to spark curiosity and fascination.