Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Curiosity
Cuˊri-os′i-ty
(kūˊrĭ-ŏs′ĭ-ty̆)
, Noun.
pl.
Curiosities
(-tĭz)
. 1.
The state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy; exactness; elaboration.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
When thou wast in thy gilt and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much
curiosity
. Shakespeare
A screen accurately cut in tapiary work . . . with great
curiosity
. Evelin.
2.
Disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness.
Milton.
3.
That which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward attention.
We took a ramble together to see the
curiosities
of this great town. Addison.
There hath been practiced also a
curiosity
, to set a tree upon the north side of a wall, and, at a little hieght, to draw it through the wall, etc. Bacon.
Webster 1828 Edition
Curiosity
CURIOSITY
,Noun.
1.
A strong desire to see something novel, or to discover something unknown, either by research or inquiry; a desire to gratify the senses with a sight of what is new or unusual, or to gratify the mind with new discoveries; inquisitiveness. A mans curiosity leads him to view the ruins of Balbec, to investigate the origin of Homer, to discover the component parts of a mineral, or the motives of anothers actions.2.
Nicety; delicacy.3.
Accuracy; exactness; nice performance; curiousness; as the curiosity of workmanship.4.
A nice experiment; a thing unusual or worthy of curiosity.There hath been practiced a curiosity, to set a tree on the north side of a walk and at a little height, to draw it through the wall, &c.
5.
An object of curiosity; that which excites a desire of seeing, or deserves to be seen, as novel and extraordinary.We took a ramble together to see the curiosities of this great town.
[The first and last senses are chiefly used.]