Difference Between Curious and Inquisitive (With Table)

Who will not like to know something about the unknown? Who wouldn’t love to have their views answered? Who doesn’t love to solve the mystery? Who wouldn’t love to gain knowledge? I believe nobody would like such things. When we want to know something or gain knowledge about something we are called curious or inquisitive. 

Curious vs Inquisitive

The main difference between curious and inquisitive is that curious means that someone has an active wish to learn or gain knowledge about something. It is a fairly neutral term. On the other hand, inquisitive means that someone is habitually curious in that they tenaciously ask numerous questions to collect information and gain knowledge. 

Curious is a word that can be used to describe when a human being is anxious, impatient, or eager to know about something or anything in this world or the human being wants to find out answers to various situations, questions, riddles, mysteries, and many more things going on in this world.

The word inquisitive can be understood as a word or term which is a synonym of the word curious. This word is used to elaborate the interest and excitement of human beings when he or she wants to explore, investigate, learn and get knowledge of various things or topics in this world. 

Comparison Table Between Curious and Inquisitive 

Parameters of Comparison

Curious

Inquisitive

Questions

Being curious does not involve asking questions. 

Being inquisitive involves asking questions. 

Discovery

The word curious was invented in the 14th century. 

The word inquisitive was invented in the late 14th century.

Derivation

The word curious is derived from a french and a Latin word. 

The word curious is derived from a Latin word. 

Example

He is so curious for knowing about the parallel universe. 

I liked children, loved their innocence and their inquisitiveness.

Connotation

The word curious is majorly used for positive connotations.

The word inquisitive can either be used with positive or negative connotations.

What is Curious? 

The word curious is derived from the old french word curios meaning odd, strange, or interested, or a Latin curiosus meaning careful, diligent, and eager. The word also describes the excitement, anxiousness, or impatience of a human being when he or she wants to explore, investigate, learn and get knowledge of various things or topics in this world.

The word is also related to expecting and demanding a high standard of perfection. The word curious can also be understood by an example of a student who is ready for learning and gaining knowledge. The term curious can also be understood as nature, characteristic, trait, or feature of a human being asking or excited to enjoy something.

Having curiosity aroused in yourself means being curious. A child having his or her interest in various animated kids movies is an example of being curious. Curious are majorly related to all factors of the development of human beings, in which obtain the procedure of learning and wish to obtain skills and knowledge. 

What is Inquisitive? 

The word inquisitive can also be understood by an example of a toddler asking a lot of questions from his parents or other elders, this trait or feature of asking numerous questions from his elders elaborates how inquisitive the toddler must be to learn about new things and gain knowledge about his or her surroundings.

The term inquisitive can also be understood as a characteristic, nature, trait, or feature of a human being asking various questions about various things or being excited to enjoy something. Having inquisitiveness aroused in anyone or even in yourself is one of the finest examples of being inquisitive. An athlete having his or her interest in various games is an example of being inquisitive. Majorly concerned with an inquiry about something is also a trait of being inquisitive.

An inquiry is a proportion of reaching answers to various questions which again is related to being inquisitive. Inquisitive is also connected to prying in an annoying manner. Inquisitive is also considered to be an intellectual curiosity. 

Main Differences Between Curious and Inquisitive 

  1. Being curious is majorly related to a high standard of excellence while Inquisitive is related to gaining knowledge. 
  2. Curious is majorly related to the term interested while the term Inquisitive is majorly related to asking questions. 
  3. Curious is related to knowledge and creativity while Inquisitive is related to prying. 
  4. Curiosity is associated with getting information about the unknown while inquisitive is intellectual eagerness. 
  5. The word curiosity is majorly used for eagerness while the word inquisitive is used for enquiring.

Conclusion 

As we have already come to know the difference between both the words, curious and curious. But often a lot of people ought to think that these two words are alike and consider the two words as synonyms of each other. There is not much difference between the two words, curious and inquisitive. But whatever the slightest difference is there between both the words, curious and inquisitive, is in a vast way. Many people do not even know about the word inquisitive and use the word inquisitive as a synonym for the word curious.

References 

  1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=peTaDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA157&dq=curious+and+inquisitive&ots=yXWoa96VsG&sig=W7nQOtQmOmvShBNElU1iDMBjA-0
  2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bkBvDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT380&dq=curious+and+inquisitive&ots=2iDdFm1C94&sig=8FqeZdXeiCUxb2mOGv1mki9hD14