Curated Meaning: Here’s What it Means and How to Use it?

This complete guide will help you understand the meaning of curated with the help of definitions, its origins, synonyms, antonyms, and more.

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Have you ever heard someone say the word curate or its past tense curated and feel confused because you were unsure of the meaning? Not to worry; we’re here to help. 

In this article, we’re exploring the word curate to uncover its definition, origin, synonyms, antonyms, and more. So if you’ve ever wondered what curate means — keep reading. Here’s our complete guide on the term curate.

What Is the Definition of Curate?

The word curate in American English can be used as either a noun to refer to a member (chiefly British) of the clergy employed to assist a vicar or rector. Alternatively, curate can also be used as a verb to reference the effort one makes to pull together, organize and select content or information to others.

Curate (noun) was originally used in reference to any person taking care of church property in some form. In recent years, however, the noun generally refers to a person that conducts religious service after much religious training. 

The Word Curate in the Digital Age

Broadly speaking, the verb curate refers to the act of examining any number of items and selecting what you deem to be the cream of the crop. Afterward, these items are presented in a way that makes them easily “digestible” to the consumer.

As we move more and more into the digital age, it is easy to see how the meaning of “curate” can be used as a content strategy to be utilized on the internet, whether it be on social media (like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) or a personal blog. 

What once was a concept that had highbrow overtones and was only associated with the cultural elite or perhaps churches is now relevant across all walks of life.

As we upload countless photos and videos to the internet, anyone who can effectively organize all this “stuff” in essence functions as a curator. The term content curation is commonly used to refer to this process.

How Can Curate Be Used in a Sentence?

As we have mentioned before, the word curate can be used as a noun or verb. As such, we can use it in various contexts. Using curate in a sentence is a great way to memorize its many parts of speech. 

Another great way is to create quizzes or even flashcards to test yourself on your newfound vocabulary and knowledge. 

Below you will find several examples of curate — try to make a note of how “curate” is used as a noun and a verb. 

I had no idea a curator was also a cleric in charge of a parish, I always thought they were caretakers of museums and art exhibits.

It is so nice to hear that the curate was an outstanding human with no enemies.

Clearly, he had helped to curate this exhibit.

I think this will be a fine place for the curate to park his bus.

By the instruction of the vicar, the young curate moved into his first parish and is living contently under the mindful eye of his matriarchal landlady.

What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Curate?

When a word has a similar or same meaning to the original word, these new words are called synonyms. Having knowledge of these “like” words will not only help you to get a better hold of the English language, but they can also help you to avoid repeating yourself in conversation.

Below are synonyms of curate provided by Power Thesaurus:

  • Parish priest
  • Cleric
  • Pastor
  • Reverend
  • Man of the cloth
  • Clergywoman
  • Minister
  • Parson
  • Arrange
  • Church woman
  • Holy joe
  • Tabulate
  • Systemize
  • Clergyman
  • Priest
  • Dispose
  • Regulate
  • Vicar
  • Padre
  • Sky pilot
  • Man of god

If you are searching for ways to expand your vocabulary of the English language, look no further than antonyms. Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning to the original word. As we learn the antonyms of words, we get to really know the definition of a word inside and out. 

Below are antonyms of curate also provided by Power Thesaurus:

  • Layman
  • Secular
  • Parishioner
  • Heathen
  • Blind fools of fate
  • Laic
  • Member of the congregation
  • Laywoman
  • Man in the street
  • Slaves of circumstance
  • Unordained person
  • Nonbeliever
  • Proselyte
  • Agnostic
  • Atheist
  • Pagan
  • Neophyte
  • Layperson
  • Sock puppet
  • Laity
  • Priestess

Test your newfound knowledge of curate out by writing out a few of its synonyms and antonyms, or perhaps write an example sentence or two to really cement the definition in your brain. 

What Is the Etymology of Curate?

The etymology of a word lets us know its history its back story and helps us to fully understand the true meaning of a word. Etymology, in essence, is the study of a word’s origin and how its definitions can change throughout history.

The story of the word curate begins in the late 14th century. It began with Middle English curat from Medieval Latin cūrātus, stemming from the Late Latin cūra (meaning here “spiritual charge”) and the Latin care meaning cure.

It was not until 1660 that the word curate was used to define a leadership officer or manager of a museum, library, art exhibit, or gallery. 

Recap

In conclusion, when a person intends to curate something, they organize and present it. Curate derives directly from the word cure – as such a curate is intended to cure that most important part of you, your soul. 

Sources:

  1. Curate Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com 
  2. Curate synonyms – 145 Words and Phrases for Curate | Power Thesaurus
  3. CURATE | definition in | Cambridge English Dictionary