What does "curate" mean?
An assistant rector or vicar.
Curate
/ˈkjʊəɹət/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An assistant rector or vicar.
- Grammar: curate is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: parson, abbe, abuna, anthologize.
- Useful contrasts: disorganize, glut, ignore.
- Usage evidence: Any more breakage and you'll never curate a blown glass exhibit in this town again!
How to use "curate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "curate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "curate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "curate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "curate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "curate" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "parson" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "curate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An assistant rector or vicar.
- 2 An oxyanion of curium; any salt containing such an anion.
- 3 a person authorized to conduct religious worship wordnet
- 4 A parish priest.
- 5 An assistant barman. Ireland
"‘Here, Pat, give us a g.p., like a good fellow.’ The curate brought him a glass of plain porter. The man drank it at a gulp and asked for a caraway seed. He put his penny on the counter and, leaving the curate to grope for it in the gloom, retreated out of the snug as furtively as he had entered it."
Verb
- 1 To act as a curator for. transitive
"She curated the traveling exhibition."
- 2 To apply selectivity and taste to, as a collection of fashion items or web pages. broadly, transitive
"What I love about DVRs is that they really allow you to curate your experience of television."
- 3 To work or act as a curator. intransitive
"Not only does he curate for the museum, he manages the office and fund-raises."
Antonyms
Example
"Any more breakage and you'll never curate a blown glass exhibit in this town again!"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "curate"?
Common synonyms include: parson, abbe, abuna, anthologize, anthologized, anthologizes.
How do you use "curate" in a sentence?
Any more breakage and you'll never curate a blown glass exhibit in this town again!
How do you pronounce "curate"?
Pronounced /ˈkjʊəɹət/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Medieval Latin cūrātus (“one who has been curated, a curate”), a substantivation of the perfect passive participle of cūrō. Doublet of curato and curé. Equivalent to cure + -ate (noun-forming suffix).
Etymology 2
Back-formation from curator on the basis of -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology 3
From cur(ium) + -ate.