courant French · revision 17204

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (curant)|origins=la currō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ku.ʁɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''courant''' (feminine courante, masculine plural courants, feminine plural courantes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''curant'', ''corant''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[courir]], used as an adjective and a noun: [[af|fr|courir|-ant]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) Wiktionary traces it, through Old French, to [[la|currēns|t=running]], from [[m|la|currō|t=to run]].^(Wiktionary) The noun “la courante” “diarrhoea” may be a misreading of “courance”, found in this sense from the 12th to the 16th century.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) it means running, of a horse (''cheval curant'') and of flowing water (''ewe curant'').^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “running” came ''chien courant'', a hound that chases its game (about 1270), and running handwriting (1413, ''lettre courant'').^(TLFi) The noun, a current of water, is found about 1210.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) 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).^(TLFi)

+

+ In the noun the electric current is dated 1788, and figurative currents of opinion and ideas followed.^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Se tenir au courant'' “to keep informed” is found in 1847.^(BHVF) In commercial language ''le cinq courant'' means the fifth of this month.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cheval curant'', ''ewe curant'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1210 – The noun, a current.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * c. 1270 – ''Chien courant''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1413 – ''Lettre courant'', running script.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1615 – “Usual”, Pasquier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1669 – ''Prix courant'', Colbert.^(TLFi)

+ * 1772 – ''Affaires courantes'', Rousseau.^(TLFi)

+ * 1788 – Electric current.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1847 – ''Se tenir au courant''.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Running: ''chien courant'', a [[m|en|hound]], ''eau courante'', running water, ''main courante'', a [[m|en|handrail]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # [[m|en|current]], present: ''l'année courante'', ''le dix courant'', ''les affaires courantes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Common, everyday, usual: ''un mot courant'', ''monnaie courante''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Fluent: ''parler un anglais courant''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A current of water or air: ''nager contre le courant'', ''courant d'air'', a [[m|en|draught]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # An electric current: ''une panne de courant''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A current of thought, a trend: ''les courants d'opinion''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Dans le courant de'': in the course of, ''être au courant'', to be informed.^(Larousse)^(BHVF)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # During, in the course of: ''courant novembre''.^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[couramment]]

+ * [[courante]]

+ * [[contre-courant]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[courir]]

+ * [[cours]]

+ * [[course]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}