curator

[ kyoo-rey-ter, kyoor-ey- kyoor-uh-ter ]

noun

1. the person in charge of a museum, art collection, etc.
2. a person who selects content for presentation, as on a website.
3. a manager; superintendent.
4. Law. a guardian of a minor or any other person who is unable to care for their own affairs, especially with regard to their property.

curator

/ kjʊəˈreɪtə; ˌkjʊərəˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

1. the administrative head of a museum, art gallery, or similar institution
2. law a guardian of a minor, mentally ill person, etc

Derived Forms

• curatorial, adjective
• cuˈratorˌship, noun

Other Words From

• cu·ra·to·ri·al [ky, oo, r-, uh, -, tawr, -ee-, uh, l, -, tohr, -], adjective
• cu·rator·ship noun
• subcu·rator noun
• subcu·ra·tori·al adjective
• subcu·rator·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of curator¹

First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin, equivalent to cūrā(re) “to care for, attend to” ( cure ) + -tor -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of curator¹

C14: from Latin: one who cares, from cūrāre to care for, from cūra care

Example Sentences

The realization that meteorites hold organic compounds is not new, according to Philipp Heck, a curator at the Field Museum and lead author of the study.

From Popular-Science

Maltol can be found in all kinds of sweet treats from baked goods to coffee, says Tony Aiello, the curator of horticulture at Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia.

From Popular-Science

Still, music streaming services remain reliant on human curators and music editors.

From Fortune

From CT scans of specimens, she and her co-author David Blackburn, the associate curator of herpetology at the University of Florida, learned that even the thickest, roundest frogs are capable of great power—and not from their lower body as expected.

From Popular-Science

His fact-checking news curator company, Logically, promises to tear down echo chambers and fight fake news.

From Ozy

The curator had wanted the artists to produce work while they were in Europe in order to prove their talent to any skeptics.

From The Daily Beast

To find out more, The Daily Beast spoke to curator Donald Albrecht.

From The Daily Beast

Bringing pieces from the two collections together gives a fresh perspective to them, says Janet Bishop, an SFMOMA curator.

From The Daily Beast

“That was brought to us by a curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York,” he explains.

From The Daily Beast

A Call To Action is, with Carter acting as curator and commentator, the public record and statement of that conference.

From The Daily Beast

In 1876 he was appointed curator of the geological museum in his native city, and assistant on the Geological Survey.

From Project Gutenberg

The curator of his city sent him in chains to the proconsul.

From Project Gutenberg

Did some conservative curator slily conceal them before the fatal mandate was executed?

From Project Gutenberg

John de Groot filled the place of Curator with great dignity and honour.

From Project Gutenberg

The Museum was given up to Indian arts and manufactures, and anybody who sought wisdom could ask the curator to explain.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• administrator
• conservator
• custodian
• director
• manager