Forms: 4 curatour, 5 couratour, curature, 5–6 -oure, 6– curator. [Partly a. AF. curatour = F. -ateur (13th c. in Godefroy Supp.), ad. L. cūrātor, -ōrem, overseer, guardian, agent-n. f. cūrāre (see CURE); partly directly from Latin. The former derivation gave the pronunciation cu·rator in senses 1 and 2; the latter gave cura·tor.] One who has the care or charge of a person or thing.
I. Senses derived through AF. curatour.
1. One appointed as guardian of the affairs of a person legally unfit to conduct them himself, as a minor, lunatic, etc.; used in Roman Law, esp. for the guardian of a minor after the age of tutelage; hence a current term in Scotch Law.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. xxxviii. (1859), 64. They leden the kynge at theyr owne lust, ryght as tutours, and couratours.
1463. Aberdeen Burgh Rec., 12 July (Jam. Suppl.). Henry of Culan … of lauchful aige, out of tutoury and has chosine til his curat[our]is to gowerne him.
1555. Sc. Act Mary (1597), § 35. Quhen onie Minor passis the ȝeires of his Tutorie, and desiris Curatoures.
1590. Swinburne, Testaments, 102 b. When he is of the age of 14. yeeres … the minor maie then … choose a curator, either the same person that was tutor or some other.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Jas. V., Wks. (1711), 86. A quarrel … arising between the curators of the laird of Langton, and one of his uncles.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. xvi. 82. Mad-men that have no use of Reason, may be Personated by Guardians, or Curators.
1753. W. Stewart, in Scots Mag., March, 132/2. He is tutor and curator … to several orphans.
1848. Wharton, Law Lex., 281/2. In England, the guardian performs the offices both of a tutor and a curator, under the Roman law.
1891. Pall Mall Gaz., 12 Nov., 6/1. The Dukes of Fife and Westminster as curators for the Duke of Sutherland’s younger sons, oppose the petition.
† 2. One who has the cure of souls; = CURATE 1.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 169. Curatours þat schulden kepe hem clene of heore bodies Þei beoþ cumbred in care. Ibid. (1377), B. XX. 279. For persones and parish prestes þat shulde þe peple shryue, Ben curatoures called to knowe and to hele, Alle þat ben her parisshiens.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. vi. 29. He wald … Mak for þis man swa gret prayere, As if he had bene his curature.
c. 1450. Myrc, 11. Wharefore þou preste curatoure, Ȝef þou plese thy sauyoure.
II. Modern senses, from L. curator.
3. gen. A person who has charge; a manager, overseer, steward.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 364. The Oven producing at one time three or four hundred living Chickens … for the Hatcher or Curator, is only Recompenced according to the living numbers.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 34. They who … are by the Crown made … Curators of the Health and Safety of its Ships.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 495. The orthography might be in some measure altered by the curator of the impression.
1862. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 29. The real state of men of property being, too commonly, that of curators, not possessors, of wealth.
4. spec. in Universities. a. In some foreign universities: A member of a board (or an individual official) having the general superintendence of the whole university, and the power to select or nominate professors. b. In the University of Oxford: A member of one of the committees or boards having the charge of various portions of University property, as the Curators of the University Chest, of the Bodleian Library, etc. So at Durham. c. In the Scottish Universities: A member of the body charged with the election of a number of the professors.
a. 1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 406. The curators of that University [Leyden] gave him an yearly stipend.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The curators are chosen by the states of each province: the university of Leyden has three; the burghermasters of the city have a fourth.
1834. Sir W. Hamilton, Discuss., 358. The curator [at Pisa] was charged with the general superintendence of student and professor; and whatever directly or indirectly concerned the well-being of the University, was within his sphere.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVIII. 322/1. An excellent system of public education … was introduced by the university of Vilna under the superintendence of its curator Prince Adam Czartoryski.
b. 1693. Oxford Act, II. 11. Next the Curators [of the Theatre] must take care No breach of Peace be suffer’d there.
1710. in H. Bedford, Vind. Ch. Eng., 172. The Curators in their Annual Visitation of the Library.
1893. Oxford Univ. Cal., Curators of the Bodleian Library … Curators of the Indian Institute … Curntors of the Park, etc.
c. 1858. Universities of Scotl. Act (21–2 Vict., c. 83 § 13). The Right of Nomination or Presentation to the Office of Principal and to all Professorships in the University of Edinburgh exercised by the Town Council of Edinburgh … shall be transferred … to … Seven Curators.
5. The officer in charge of a museum, gallery of art, library, or the like; a keeper, custodian.
In many cases the official title of the chief keeper.
1661. Evelyn, Diary, 19 July. In which [diving-bell] our curator continued half an hour under water.
1667. Phil. Trans., II. 486. The Curator of the Royal Society.
1767. Hunter, Ibid. LVIII. 42. The Curators of the British Musæum.
1837. Lockhart, Scott, vii. In June 1795 he was appointed one of the Curators of the Advocate’s library.
1889. Whitaker’s Almanack, 160. Museum of Practical Geology … Curator, Registrar and Librarian.
6. A designation of public officers of various kinds under the Roman Empire.
1728. H. Herbert, trans. Fleury’s Eccl. Hist., II. 16. Callidius Gratianus who was Curator in the year 314.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., I. 103. The city was … divided into fourteen regions, each of which had two police superintendents, called Curators.
