curiosity
/ˌkjʊɹiˈɑsəti/
noun
Common
1.n.a state in which you want to learn more about something
2.n.something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
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curiosity and wonder share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. curiosity means “a state in which you want to learn more about something”. wonder means “the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising”. wonder is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˌkjʊɹiˈɑsəti/
1.n.a state in which you want to learn more about something
2.n.something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
/ˈwʌndɚ/
1.n.the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
2.n.something that causes feelings of wonder
“the wonders of modern science”
3.n.a state in which you want to learn more about something
| curiosity | wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˌkjʊɹiˈɑsəti/ | /ˈwʌndɚ/ |
| Said | kyuur-ee-AH-suh-tee | WUHN-dur |
| Syllables | 5 | 2 |
| Letters | 9 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 2 | 6 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | wonder | wonderment, admiration |
Full entry for curiosity · Full entry for wonder · More comparisons