English · Word Candidate

curator

/kjʊəˈɹeɪtə(ɹ)/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: curators

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A person who manages, administers or organizes a collection, either independently or employed by a museum, library, archive or zoo.

Noun

Examples

The Club became like town meetings for the entire New York art scene, attracting dealers, collectors, uptown curators like Alfred Barr, critics, and just about any other culturati who could wrangle their way in.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

One appointed to act as guardian of the estate of a person not legally competent to manage it, or of an absentee; a trustee.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “curator” mean?

A person who manages, administers or organizes a collection, either independently or employed by a museum, library, archive or zoo.

Is “curator” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.