English → Latin
“curious” in Latin
cūriōsusCareful, diligent, thoughtful, devoted.; Elaborate, complicated.; That injures himself by care; careworn, emaciated, wasrārusscattered; far apart; seldom; few; rare; uncommonsingulārissingular, unique, unusual; alone, single, solitary; nonpareil, peerless, unequalled. unmatched, exceptionaleximiusselect, choice; special, particular, exceptional, remarkable, extraordinary; exemptīnsolitusunaccustomed; unusualīnsolēnsunusual; contrary to custom or one’s own custom; arrogant, haughty, insolentmīruswonderful, marvelous, amazing, surprising, miraculousnovusnew, novel; fresh, young; recentmōnstruōsusstrange, preternatural, monstrousspectōto watch, observe, look at, consider; to examine, try, test; to aim, strive, or endeavour after
The English word curious itself goes back to Latin incūria, through cūriōsus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
curious
Inquisitive, curiosus (fond of learning or finding out news or new things): nova videndi or ignara visundi cupidus (anxious to see new sights): spectandi studiosus (fond of seeing, gazing at, etc.): audiendi cupidus (curious to hear). To be curious to hear, audiendi cupiditate incensum esse. (I am) curious to see him, ejus videndi cupidus: to be curiosus, esse curiosum, etc.: I am curious to learn, exspecto (am anxious); miror (our vulgar “I wonder;” Vid: interpp. to Ter., Andr., 4, 4, 11), e.g., I am curious to know (I wonder) what you want, exspecto, quid velis: I am curious to hear (I wonder) what cause or reason they will have to allege, quam causam reperient, miror.
Not common, rarus (not frequently met with; but if = singularis and eximius, it is only poetical): singularis (unique in its kind): eximius (distinguished by its peculiar features or advantages, rare): insolitus: insolens (uncommon, unusual, of things; e.g., word, precepis): mirus (strange, of things): novus (new, of things): monstruosus (extraordinary, with reference to the nature of things; also of persons, with regard to their manners or conduct). A curiosus person or sort of person, *mirum caput (comedy): a curiosus chance, mirus quidam casus: a curiosus dress, dissentiens a ceteris habitus: it seems to me a curiosus thing, permirum mihi videtur: that sounds curiosus, hoc dictu est difficilius (Vid: Cic., Ecl., p. 199); hoc nescio quomodo dicatur (Vid: Cic., Tusc., 2, 20, 47): it is curiosus how, etc., mirabile est, quam (with subjunctive): how curiosus! mira narras or memoras! (i. e., you are relating curiosus or strange things.)
Worthy of being seen: spectatu dignus: spectandus.
Eager to obtain knowledge, *discendi cupidus or studiosus: propensus ad discendum: to be of a curiosus turn of mind, discendi studio or audiendi cupiditate incensum esse (stronger). [Vid: INQUISITIVE.]
Accurate, curiosus (he who displays much accuracy, especially in investigations, etc.): accuratus (made with accuracy, of things): diligens (proceeding with punctuality, precaution, and accuracy; or made with accurracy, etc.; in anything, aliqua re). To be curiosus in anything, curam adhibere de aliqua re or in aliqua re; curiosum or diligentem esse in aliqua re.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for curious?
- The usual Latin words for “curious” are cūriōsus, rārus, singulāris; also eximius, īnsolitus, īnsolēns. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.