current

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkɝənt/ UK /ˈkʌɹ.ənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #2600

Meanings

1

adj
Happening or existing now; belonging to the present time.

What is your current address?
2

noun
A steady flow of water, air, or another fluid in one direction.

The strong current carried the boat downstream.
3

noun
A flow of electricity through a wire or other conductor.

The current is measured in amperes.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · happening or existing now;... presentpresent-day

2 noun · a steady flow of water,... stream

3 noun · a flow of electricity... electric current

Word family

Forms currents

Derived forms call-with-current-continuationcocurrentcountercurrentcrosscurrentcurrent-traditionalismcurrent-traditionalistcurrentlesscurrently currentnesscurrentwisediscurrentdown-current

Related forms course currency

Appears in

Phrases (6)

See all

current boyfriend
the boyfriend one has at the present time

Adjective + noun
current president
the person holding the office of president at the present time

Adjective + noun
current situation
the existing or present state of affairs

Adjective + noun
current state
the condition that something is in at the present time

Adjective + noun
equatorial current
an ocean current flowing westward near the equator

Adjective + noun
swift current
a flow of water moving at high speed

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Current entered English in the Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin currere, “to run.” Its original sense was “running” or “flowing.”

Etymology

From Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Old French curant (French courant), present participle of courre (“to run”), from Latin currere (“to run”) (present participle currens). Doublet of courant.

curraunt Middle English corant Old French currō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Maritime & Sailing Physics

External links

# current

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɝənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkʌɹ.ənt/
**Frequency rank:** 2600

## Meanings
1. Happening or existing now; belonging to the present time.
2. A steady flow of water, air, or another fluid in one direction.
3. A flow of electricity through a wire or other conductor.

## Examples
- What is your current address?
- The strong current carried the boat downstream.
- The current is measured in amperes.

## Derived Forms
- call-with-current-continuation
- cocurrent
- countercurrent
- crosscurrent
- current-traditionalism
- current-traditionalist
- currentless
- currently
- currentness
- currentwise
- discurrent
- down-current

## Related Forms
- course
- currency

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: curraunt
- Root: corant
- Root: currō

## Etymology
From Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Old French curant (French courant), present participle of courre (“to run”), from Latin currere (“to run”) (present participle currens). Doublet of courant.

## AI Etymology
current comes from Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Old French curant (French courant), present participle of courre (“to run”), from Latin currere (“to run”) (present participle currens). Doublet of courant. The historical chain includes Middle English curraunt, Old French corant, Latin currō. Current senses include Happening or existing now; belonging to the present time and A steady flow of water, air, or another fluid in one direction. English relatives and later formations include call-with-current-continuation, cocurrent, countercurrent, course, currency.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Maritime & Sailing
- Physics

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