The Great Curator

7 entries found.

curate (n.)

late 14c., "spiritual guide, ecclesiastic responsible for the spiritual welfare of those in his charge; parish priest," from Medieval Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," from Latin curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of" (see cure (v.)). 

Church of England sense of "paid deputy priest of a parish" first recorded 1550s.

curate (v.)

"be in charge of, manage" a museum, gallery, art exhibit, etc., by 1979 (implied in curated), a back-formation from curator or curation. 

Related: Curating. An earlier verb, curatize (1801) meant "be a (church) curate."

curator (n.)

"a guardian; one who has care or superintendence of something," late 14c., curatour "a parish priest," from Latin curator "overseer, manager, guardian," agent noun from curatus, past participle of curare (see cure (v.)). 

From early 15c. in reference to those put in charge of minors, lunatics, etc.; meaning "officer in charge of a museum, library, etc." is from 1660s. 

Related: Curatorship.

curation (n.)

late 14c., curacioun, "curing of disease, restoration to health," from Old French curacion "treatment of illness," from Latin curationem (nominative curatio), "a taking care, attention, management," especially "medical attention," noun of action from past-participle stem of curare "to cure" (see cure (v.)). 

From 1769 as "management, guardianship."

curacy (n.)

"the office of a curate," mid-15c.; see curate + -cy.

cure (n.2)

"parish priest in France or a French country," from French curé (13c.), from Medieval Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," from Latin curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of" (see cure (v.) ). Also compare curate (n.).

parson (n.)

late 13c., person (late 12c. as a surname), "parish priest" (later often applied to a clergyman in general), from Anglo-French and Old French persone "curate, parson, holder of Church office" (12c.), from Medieval Latin persona "parson" (see person). The reason for the ecclesiastical use is obscure; it might refer to the "person" legally holding church property, or it may be an abbreviation of persona ecclesiae "person of the church." The shift to a spelling with -a- begins late 13c. in surnames. 

Related: Parsonic.  

Parson's nose "the rump of a fowl" is attested by 1834.