curiosa

[ kyoor-ee-oh-suh ]

plural noun

books, pamphlets, etc., dealing with unusual subjects.
(in selling and collecting books) books, pamphlets, etc., containing pornographic literature or art; erotica.

Origin of curiosa

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

Words Nearby curiosa

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use curiosa in a sentence

They exhibit the three indispensable gifts of the finest authorship: "simplicitas munditiis," "lucidus ordo," "curiosa felicitas."
The Reign of Tiberius, Out of the First Six Annals of Tacitus | Tacitus
curiosa felicitas—Studied felicity of thought or 40 of style.
Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources | James Wood
It is the curiosa felicitas which Petronius ascribes to Horace in his Odes.
Dryden's Works (13 of 18): Translations; Pastorals | John Dryden
Here is particularly observable the curiosa felicitas, a fruitful soil and careful cultivation.
The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10) | Alexander Pope
Por ésto, la idea que muchos tienen de la sufragista es muy curiosa.
The Woman and the Right to Vote | Rafael Palma

British Dictionary definitions for curiosa

curiosa

/ (ˌkjʊərɪˈəʊsə) /

noun(functioning as plural)

curiosities
books on strange subjects, esp erotica

Origin of curiosa

New Latin: from Latin cūriōsus curious

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

Browse