curator
/kjʊəˈreɪ.tə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A curator is a person who manages a museum, gallery, or collection. They choose, arrange, and look after items or exhibits.
- The curator arranged the new painting exhibition.
- We spoke to the museum curator.
- The curator explained the history of the artifacts.
Adinary Nuance
A curator is not just someone who looks after things. The word usually suggests expert choice, arrangement, and care, especially in museums, galleries, and online collections. It is closer to museum manager or collection expert than to a general caretaker. In modern use, people also call someone a curator when they carefully select content, like a playlist or social feed.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- giám tuyển
- Spanish
- curador
- Chinese
- 策展人
- Japanese
- 学芸員
- Korean
- 큐레이터
Etymology
Curator comes from Latin curare, meaning “to care for.” It entered English in the late 1600s, first for someone who cares for collections or public property.
Common phrases
museum curatorguest curatorcurator of an exhibitioncurate a collection
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is curator a formal word?
- Yes. It is formal and common in museums, galleries, and academic contexts.
- What is the difference between curator and caretaker?
- A curator selects and organizes collections. A caretaker mainly looks after a place or person.
- Can I use curator for social media?
- Yes, in modern English. It can mean someone who carefully selects content for others.