curiosa

American  

[kyoor-ee-oh-suh] / ˌkyʊər iˈoʊ sə /

plural noun

1. books, pamphlets, etc., dealing with unusual subjects.

2. (in selling and collecting books) books, pamphlets, etc., containing pornographic literature or art; erotica.

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curiosa British  

/ ˌkjʊərɪˈəʊsə /

noun

1. curiosities

2. books on strange subjects, esp erotica

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Etymology

Origin of curiosa

1880–85; < New Latin: unusual things, special use of neuter plural of Latin cūriōsus careful, inquisitive. See curious

Example Sentences

As is the case with most pop culture curiosa, “Shōgun” only deserves partial credit or blame for escalating America’s fetishizing of Japanese style and customs.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2024

The brothers were touring the Mütter Museum, a 19th-century repository of curiosa at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, garbed somewhat disappointingly in chinos and sweaters.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2010

Among other curiosa, the camp boasts a sullen horse that looks like Robert Ryan, and children who have "the faces of middle-aged manufacturers."

From Time Magazine Archive

Maps on tissue-thin paper, which could be eaten if need be, were among the curiosa of World War II, publicly shown for the first time in New York last week.

From Time Magazine Archive

This choice of words, and heightening of their natural signification, was observed in him by the writers of the following ages; for Petronius says of him, "Et Horatii curiosa felicitas."

From The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 04 by Scott, Walter, Sir