curio

[ kyoor-ee-oh ]
See synonyms for curio on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural cu·ri·os.
  1. any unusual article, object of art, etc., valued as a curiosity.

Origin of curio

1
First recorded in 1850–55; shortened from curiosity

Words Nearby curio

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use curio in a sentence

  • There is much haggling over the price of a curio, and but little chance of a bargain.

    Over the Rocky Mountains to Alaska | Charles Warren Stoddard
  • Then her lantern sought out a curio cabinet, of glass sides and gilded frame, standing in a corner.

    To Him That Hath | Leroy Scott
  • As he passed the drawing-room door he saw Kate bending in front of the open curio cabinet.

    To Him That Hath | Leroy Scott

British Dictionary definitions for curio

curio

/ (ˈkjʊərɪˌəʊ) /


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

Origin of curio

1
C19: shortened from curiosity

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012