curate

American  

[kyoor-it, kyoo-rayt, kyoor-ayt] / ˈkjʊər ɪt, kjʊˈreɪt, ˈkjʊər eɪt /

noun

1. Chiefly British. a member of the clergy employed to assist a rector or vicar.

2. any ecclesiastic entrusted with the cure of souls, as a parish priest.

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verb (used with object)

curated, curating

1. to take charge of (a museum) or organize (an art exhibit).

   to curate a photography show.

2. to pull together, sift through, and select for presentation, as music or website content.

   “We curate our merchandise with a sharp eye for trending fashion,” the store manager explained.

curate ¹ British  

/ ˈkjʊərɪt /

noun

1. a clergyman appointed to assist a parish priest

2. a clergyman who has the charge of a parish ( curate-in-charge )

3. an assistant barman

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curate ² British  

/ kjʊəˈreɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to be in charge of (an art exhibition or museum)

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Other Word Forms

• curateship
  noun
• curation
  noun
• subcurate
  noun
• curatic
  adjective
• curatical
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of curate

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English curat, from Anglo-French or directly from Medieval Latin cūrātus, equivalent to Latin cūr(a) “care” + -ātus -ate ¹

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Explanation

When you curate something, you organize and present it. If you work for a museum, you might curate an exhibit of abstract sculpture. The noun curate originally referred to anyone taking care of church property in some way. Nowadays, the noun generally refers to a person with religious training who conducts religious services. Curate comes from the word cure, and a curate is supposed to cure that most important part of you — your soul. When you curate a museum exhibit — or a selection of 1980s fashion for your retro blog — you care for or manage it just as a curate cares for a parish.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

curate curated curating

Mark Stibbe, the church's curate, told the trial he had also warned Lowe that Brain was growing unaccountable and NOS was heading for "disaster".

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

In contrast with mass-market chains that have been cutting staff, Artizia relies on attentive saleswomen the retailer calls “style advisers” to help customers curate outfits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Smartphones have fooled us into thinking that we curate what our screens show us.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

Buermann says she tries to curate each event so that it’s as much an experience or a celebration as it is a screening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

The curate began to groan, beginning to regain consciousness.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

And when I emailed a wedding photographer whose Instagram feed seemed perfectly curated to how I envision our special day, he quoted me $30,000 for a starter package.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

Today’s newsletter was curated by Will Horner in London, in collaboration with Allison Chopin in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Last month, the AI-assistant startup Instinct announced that it was rolling out curated product and travel recommendations.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

The fanfares are curated by Grammy nominee and singer Seth MacFarlane, best known as the creator and star of “Family Guy.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

The blue day—even the watery reflections in the stained-glass windows seemed curated, cultivated, perfected.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

Turkey is curating an "action agenda" alongside the negotiations that encourages countries to support non-binding pledges on issues from artificial intelligence to waste management.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, actor and artist RiRia has a lifelong devotion to punk fashion, curating a Hysteric Glamour wardrobe bursting with color, energy and attitude.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

During a panel about the relationship between fashion and food, Onwuachi discussed curating the menu for the 2025 MET Gala, whose theme was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026

Exemplar Luxury Group plans to focus on its retail model and curating products for high-income consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Millington, who is curating the exhibition, said she felt Birmingham had forgotten "this prince of pop art".

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

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