From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Curiosity \Cu`ri*os"i*ty\ (k[=u]`r[i^]*[o^]s"[i^]*t[y^]), n.;
pl. {Curiosities} (-t[i^]z). [OE. curiouste, curiosite, OF.
curioset['e], curiosit['e], F. curiosit['e], fr. L.
curiositas, fr. curiosus. See {Curious}, and cf. {Curio}.]
1. The state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy;
exactness; elaboration. [Obs.] --Bacon.
[1913 Webster]
When thou wast in thy gilt and thy perfume, they
mocked thee for too much curiosity. --Shak.
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A screen accurately cut in tapiary work . . . with
great curiosity. --Evelin.
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2. Disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after
knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new
information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness.
--Milton.
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3. That which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward
attention.
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We took a ramble together to see the curiosities of
this great town. --Addison.
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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.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
curiosity
n 1: a state in which you want to learn more about something
[syn: {curiosity}, {wonder}]
2: something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting [syn:
{curio}, {curiosity}, {oddity}, {oddment}, {peculiarity},
{rarity}]
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