curio

American  

[kyoor-ee-oh] / ˈkyʊər iˌoʊ /

noun

plural

curios

1. any unusual article, object of art, etc., valued as a curiosity.

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curio British  

/ ˈkjʊərɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. a small article valued as a collector's item, esp something fascinating or unusual

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Usage

What does curio mean? A curio is a small object that’s unusual, novel, or interesting, typically one that’s part of a collection of other such objects. A curio can also be called a curiosity, and in fact it’s a shortening of that word. In a curio collection, there is often a variety of objects. The requirement for an item’s addition to the collection is usually just that it has to be curious, meaning that it arouses curiosity or is interesting in some way. Just about any small thing that one finds interesting can be called a curio, but the word is most often applied to things like antique trinkets, small handcrafted items, or natural objects, like rocks, fossils, and shells. The word curio is commonly associated with the type of case often used to display such collections, which is called a curio cabinet and usually looks like a bookcase with glass doors. The term curio shop typically refers to a souvenir shop that sells curios and other novelty items. Example: When I travel, I like to buy things made by local artisans to add to my curio collection.

Etymology

Origin of curio

First recorded in 1850–55; shortened from curiosity

Explanation

A curio is a strange or interesting collectible object. Your vintage Pez dispenser collection, for example, is a group of curios. Something worth collecting, whether it's a rare coin or a strange 19th century photograph or a bizarre clown painting, is a curio. You might even have a special, tall cabinet with glass doors for protecting and displaying your curios — you can call this a curio cabinet. The word curio, first used in the mid-19th century, originally meant specifically a collectible item from "the Far East," and was a shortened form of curiosity.

Example Sentences

Gabbo is made by Curio, a company which has worked with the singer Grimes, former partner of Elon Musk.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

“I see a strong market demand for recycling as a key missing piece of the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle that has deteriorated over the years,” said Curio chief executive Ed McGinnis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Burlap & Barrel offers chiles and curry leaves from California, as does Curio, which also has California-grown fennel pollen and makrut lime leaves, New Mexico chiles and Massachusetts paprika.

From Salon • Sep. 11, 2023

The partnership represents a milestone for Curio, which was founded in 2020 and dropped its first NFT last February.

From Reuters • Feb. 17, 2022

“Cicero teased a lesser orator called Curio for having so faulty a memory that “at times when he had announced three points he would add a fourth or miss the third.”

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• trinket