Etymologically
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courant

Etymology and origin of the French word courant

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (curant)
Ultimate origin
Latin (currō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin curro
French courir
French courant
Latin cursus
English corsair
French cours

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ku.ʁɑ̃/[1]

Forms

courant (feminine courante, masculine plural courants, feminine plural courantes)[1] Old French curant, corant.[2][3]

Etymology

It is the present participle of courir, used as an adjective and a noun: from French courir + -ant.[2][4][5][6] Wiktionary traces it, through Old French, to Latin currēns (“running”), from currō (“to run”).[1] The noun “la courante” “diarrhoea” may be a misreading of “courance”, found in this sense from the 12th to the 16th century.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) it means running, of a horse (cheval curant) and of flowing water (ewe curant).[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From “running” came chien courant, a hound that chases its game (about 1270), and running handwriting (1413, lettre courant).[2] The noun, a current of water, is found about 1210.[4][5] With the sense “in progress, present”, jour courant is in Sorel (1623) and affaires courantes in Rousseau (1772); “usual, ordinary” is in Pasquier (before 1615), prix courant in Colbert (1669).[2]

In the noun the electric current is dated 1788, and figurative currents of opinion and ideas followed.[7] Se tenir au courant “to keep informed” is found in 1847.[8] In commercial language le cinq courant means the fifth of this month.[7][9]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Cheval curant, ewe curant, Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1210 – The noun, a current.[4]
  • c. 1270 – Chien courant.[2]
  • 1413 – Lettre courant, running script.[2]
  • Before 1615 – “Usual”, Pasquier.[2]
  • 1669 – Prix courant, Colbert.[2]
  • 1772 – Affaires courantes, Rousseau.[2]
  • 1788 – Electric current.[7]
  • 1847 – Se tenir au courant.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Running: chien courant, a hound, eau courante, running water, main courante, a handrail.[7][10]
  2. current, present: l'année courante, le dix courant, les affaires courantes.[7][1]
  3. Common, everyday, usual: un mot courant, monnaie courante.[2][1]
  4. Fluent: parler un anglais courant.[1]

Noun

  1. A current of water or air: nager contre le courant, courant d'air, a draught.[7]
  2. An electric current: une panne de courant.[7][1]
  3. A current of thought, a trend: les courants d'opinion.[1][7]
  4. Dans le courant de: in the course of, être au courant, to be informed.[9][8]

Preposition

  1. During, in the course of: courant novembre.[9]

Word family

  • couramment
  • courante
  • contre-courant

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Courant.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/courant. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·