What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Romantic vs Curious - What's the difference?

romantic | curious | Related terms |

In obsolete terms the difference between romantic and curious

is that romantic is fictitious, imaginary while curious is fastidious, particular; demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy.

As adjectives the difference between romantic and curious

is that romantic is of a work of literature, a writer etc.: being like or having the characteristics of a romance, or poetic tale of a mythic or quasi-historical time; fantastic while curious is fastidious, particular; demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy.

As a noun romantic

is a person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).

romantic

English

Alternative forms

* romantick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Fictitious, imaginary.
  • Fantastic, unrealistic (of an idea etc.); fanciful, sentimental, impractical (of a person).
  • Having the qualities of romance (in the sense of something appealing deeply to the imagination); invoking on a powerfully sentimental idea of life; evocative, atmospheric.
  • *
  • But here is an artist. He desires to paint you the dreamiest, shadiest, quietest, most enchanting bit of romantic landscape in all the valley of the Saco.
  • * 1897 , Henry James, What Maisie Knew :
  • Somehow she wasn't a real sister, but that only made her the more romantic .
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838, page=71, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= End of the peer show , passage=Finance is seldom romantic . But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.}}
  • Pertaining to an idealised form of love (originally, as might be felt by the heroes of a romance); conducive to romance; loving, affectionate.
  • Synonyms

    * (concerned with romance) nonplatonic, lovesome

    Antonyms

    * platonic, queerplatonic, nonromantic, unromantic, aromantic, antiromantic, nonsexual

    Derived terms

    * bromantic * romantically * romanticism * romanticness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
  • A person who is behaving romantically (in a manner befitting someone who feels an idealized form of love).
  • Oh, flowers! You're such a romantic .

    Descendants

    * French: (l) * Italian: (l)

    curious

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • (lb) Fastidious, particular; demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy.
  • *1612 , , Proceedings of the English Colonie in Virginia , in Kupperman 1988, p.172:
  • *:But departing thence, when we found no houses, we were not curious in any weather, to lie 3 or 4 nights together upon any shore under the trees by a good fire.
  • *(Thomas Fuller) (1606-1661)
  • *:little curious in her clothes
  • Inquisitive; tending to ask questions, investigate, or explore.
  • :
  • Prompted by curiosity.
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , III.ix:
  • *:But he to shift their curious request, / Gan causen, why she could not come in place.
  • Unusual; odd; out of the ordinary; bizarre.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile?; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.
  • (lb) Exhibiting care or nicety; artfully constructed; elaborate; wrought with elegance or skill.
  • *(Bible), (w) xxxv.32
  • *:to devise curious works
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:his body couched in a curious bed