Curio

Curio is a noun that refers to a rare, unusual or intriguing object.  Our word of the day began as an abbreviated variation on the word ‘curiosity,’ Which is derived from the Latin word cuiosus (koo ree OH soos) meaning, ‘curious.’ By the mid 19th century, curio had established an identity of its own. Here’s an example: The bookshelf I attempted to make has become a curio. This odd-looking item hasn’t been used to store books, but it sure has gotten its share of confused gawks over the years. People describe it as the most unusual thing in our home.