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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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curioser and curiouser?
Scott
1
2008/07/22 - 9:13am

http://www.cnbc.com/id/25798954

The link points to an article titled: "Steve Jobs "Health" Issue Just Gets Curiouser And Curiouser".

Is ‘curiouser' actually a word and if so, is this proper use?

Guest
2
2008/07/22 - 9:54am

"'Curiouser and curiouser!' cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English)..."

- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

You'll find the expression turns up a lot, often with a reference to Alice.

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
3
2008/08/01 - 10:00am

I hadn't realized until just now that the OED lists the phrase "curiouser and curiouser" within the entry for "curious," defining it as "more and more curious; increasingly strange." And as dilettante suggests, the first citation is indeed from Lewis Carroll.

No word on "curiousest."

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