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

The result is a faintly comic curio that hurtles along without much impact.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Locals shuffled through makeshift aisles bounded by curio cabinets, wardrobes and home bars styled with faux cocktails for an imaginary party.

From Salon • Dec. 2, 2025

Discovery is certainly the operative word when exploring The Shabby French Market, a Parisian-style arcade filled with antiques, heirloom jewelry and pretty much every curio one can imagine.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 6, 2023

It was a pioneering work, and a popular one, that has become an infrequently revived curio.

From New York Times • Sep. 13, 2023

Like most of the other Chinese children who played in the back alleys of restaurants and curio shops, I didn’t think we were poor.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

Related Words

• trinket