Curiosity vs. Wonder — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Curiosity and Wonder
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare with Definitions
Curiosity
Curiosity (from Latin cūriōsitās, from cūriōsus "careful, diligent, curious", akin to cura "care") is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in humans and other animals. Curiosity is heavily associated with all aspects of human development, in which derives the process of learning and desire to acquire knowledge and skill.The term curiosity can also be used to denote the behavior or emotion of being curious, in regard to the desire to gain knowledge or information.
Wonder
The emotion aroused by something awe-inspiring, astounding, or surprising
Gazed with wonder at the northern lights.
Curiosity
A strong desire to know or learn something
Curiosity got the better of me, so I called him
Filled with curiosity, she peered through the window
Wonder
The quality that arouses such emotion
"Her long fair hair was girlish.
Curiosity
An unusual or interesting object or fact
He showed them some of the curiosities of the house
ADVERTISEMENT
Wonder
One that arouses awe, astonishment, surprise, or admiration; a marvel
Given all his unhealthy habits, it's a wonder he's lived this long. She was a wonder in that movie.
Curiosity
A desire to know or learn.
Wonder
Often Wonder A monumental human creation regarded with awe, especially one of seven monuments of the ancient world that appeared on various lists of late antiquity.
Curiosity
A desire to know about people or things that do not concern one; nosiness.
Wonder
An extraordinary or remarkable act or achievement
That teacher has worked wonders with these students.
Curiosity
An object that arouses interest, as by being novel or extraordinary
Kept the carved bone and displayed it as a curiosity.
Wonder
An event inexplicable by the laws of nature; a miracle.
Curiosity
A strange or odd aspect.
Wonder
To have a feeling of awe, astonishment, surprise, or admiration
We wondered at the ease with which she settled into her new job.
Curiosity
(Archaic) Fastidiousness.
Wonder
To be filled with curiosity or doubt
I could only wonder after hearing his excuse. I wondered about his late-night comings and goings.
Curiosity
Inquisitiveness; the tendency to ask and learn about things by asking questions, investigating, or exploring.
Wonder
To feel curiosity or be in doubt about
I wondered what kind of costume she would wear. I wondered why I said that.
Curiosity
A unique or extraordinary object which arouses interest.
He put the strangely shaped rock in his curiosity cabinet.
Wonder
Remarkable or extraordinary, especially in being beneficial
Considers quinoa a wonder grain.
Curiosity
(obsolete) Careful, delicate construction; fine workmanship, delicacy of building.
Wonder
Something that causes amazement or awe; a marvel.
Wonders of the World seem to come in sevens.
Curiosity
The state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy; exactness; elaboration.
When thou wast in thy gilt and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity.
A screen accurately cut in tapiary work . . . with great curiosity.
Wonder
Something astonishing and seemingly inexplicable.
The idea was so crazy that it is a wonder that anyone went along with it.
Curiosity
Disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness.
Wonder
Someone very talented at something, a genius.
He's a wonder at cooking.
Curiosity
That which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward attention.
We took a ramble together to see the curiosities of this great town.
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.
Wonder
The sense or emotion which can be inspired by something curious or unknown; surprise; astonishment, often with awe or reverence.
Curiosity
A state in which you want to learn more about something
Wonder
A mental pondering, a thought.
Curiosity
Something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
Wonder
(US) A kind of donut; a cruller.
Wonder
(intransitive) To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel; often followed by at.
Wonder
To ponder; to feel doubt and curiosity; to query in the mind.
He wondered whether penguins could fly. She had wondered this herself sometimes.
Wonder
That emotion which is excited by novelty, or the presentation to the sight or mind of something new, unusual, strange, great, extraordinary, or not well understood; surprise; astonishment; admiration; amazement.
They were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.
Wonder
A cause of wonder; that which excites surprise; a strange thing; a prodigy; a miracle.
To try things oft, and never to give over, doth wonders.
I am as a wonder unto many.
Wonder
To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel.
I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals.
We cease to wonder at what we understand.
Wonder
To feel doubt and curiosity; to wait with uncertain expectation; to query in the mind; as, he wondered why they came.
I wonder, in my soul,What you would ask me, that I should deny.
Wonder
Wonderful.
After that he said a wonder thing.
Wonder
Wonderfully.
Wonder
The feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
Wonder
Something that causes feelings of wonder;
The wonders of modern science
Wonder
A state in which you want to learn more about something
Wonder
Have a wish or desire to know something;
He wondered who had built this beautiful church
Wonder
Place in doubt or express doubtful speculation;
I wonder whether this was the right thing to do
She wondered whether it would snow tonight
Wonder
Be amazed at;
We marvelled at the child's linguistic abilities
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Achieve vs. Archive
Next Comparison
Deposition vs. Reposition
