curious
adjective
Simple meaning
Eager to learn or know about something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kyooreeuhsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkjʊɹiəs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying.
Leading one to ask questions about; somewhat odd, out of the ordinary, or unusual.
in combination
Interested in entering a romantic or sexual relationship with a specified group.
Caused by curiosity.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying.
Used this way, curious is a reasonably familiar word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Curious and questioning
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Nearby words
- nosey , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use curious
- “A curious child is a teacher's delight.”adjective
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
In a manner differing from the usual or expected.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Related Learning
Guides that use this word in context.
Collections with this word
Themed sets you can browse for free.
Use it yourself
Knowing “curious” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
- Use it in a sentenceWrite your own line with “curious” and get instant feedback.
- Practice it in contextShort real-world questions, free, no credits.
- Review it laterSpaced review keeps the word from slipping away.
- Type itType “curious” from its meaning to lock in the spelling.
Want to practice typing? Try Positive Affirmation Typing →
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.