corrente Italian · revision 38795

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Cielo d'Alcamo|origins=la currō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /korˈrɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Regional: /korˈren.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''corrente''' (plural ''correnti''); as a noun, ''la corrente'' (feminine, “current”) and ''il corrente'' (masculine, “batten”)^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|corente]], [[m|roa-oit|chorrente]] and [[m|roa-oit|currente]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|currēns|alt=currentem|t=running]], the present participle of [[m|la|currō|t=to run]], and it still serves as the present participle of [[correre]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|1122) The feminine noun is the adjective used as a noun, from the phrase for “running water”, and the masculine noun “batten” is a further use of the adjective.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|1122)

+

+ The electric sense follows [[fr|courant électrique]], recorded in 1806.^(DEI|1122) The phrases meaning “to be, to keep informed” are a calque of [[m|fr|au courant]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Cielo d'Alcamo, before 1250, where the word means “running, moving fast”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The TLIO's earliest text is the ''Splanamento'' of Patecchio of Cremona (13th century).^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Bono Giamboni (before 1292) uses the word for water that flows instead of standing, and for what is in progress; from 1304 Giordano da Pisa uses it for what is common or usual, and before 1348 Francesco da Barberino for a smooth style.^(DELI 1999) Dante's hounds are ''bramose e correnti'', eager and swift.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In Old Italian a coin that was ''corrente'' was valid and in use, and the word could mean a person too quick to speak or act.^(TLIO)

+

+ The feminine noun is recorded from 1288, in a Sienese translation of Giles of Rome.^(TLIO) It named the current of a river or of the sea, and in the 19th century also a movement of ideas.^(GDLI)^(DEI|1122) The masculine noun, a long beam or batten of a roof, is recorded from the 14th or the 16th century, and in the Renaissance it could also mean a running horse.^(DEI|1122)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|334) Galileo uses ''corrente'' for the beams of his problem on the strength of materials.^(GDLI|3, 819) The electric current came with the physics of about 1800,^(Prati 1951|334) and the political sense, a faction within a party, is modern.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Cielo d'Alcamo uses ''corrente'' “running”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1288 – The feminine noun appears in a Sienese translation.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it of flowing water.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for “common, usual”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th century – The masculine noun “batten” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * Before 1600 – ''Corrente'' is the name of a dance.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)

+ * About 1800 – The electric current is named.^(Prati 1951|334)^(DEI|1122)

+ * 1865 – German borrows ''Corrente'' as the name of the dance.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|flowing]], running, of water: ''acqua corrente'', running water from the tap.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|current]], now in progress: ''il mese corrente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # In force, in use: ''prezzo corrente'', the market price, ''moneta corrente'', currency in circulation.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Common, widespread: ''un'opinione corrente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Ordinary, of little value: ''merce corrente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|fluent]], smooth, of style or speech: ''Parla un francese corrente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Continuous, running along a wall: ''un sedile corrente''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(feminine)'' A current of water or air, a flow in one direction: ''la corrente del fiume''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(feminine)'' A [[m|en|draught]] in a room: ''Chiudi la porta, c'è corrente.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(feminine)'' A flow of people, vehicles or goods.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(feminine)'' A trend of thought or art; a [[m|en|faction]] within a party.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(feminine, physics)'' Electric current; colloquially, electricity.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(masculine, building)'' A [[m|en|batten]], a light beam of a roof or scaffolding.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(masculine, nautical, aeronautics)'' A [[m|en|stringer]] of a hull, fuselage or wing.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(masculine)'' In ''essere al corrente'', to be informed of something, ''tenere al corrente'', to keep informed.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[controcorrente]]

+ * [[correntista]]

+ * [[correntemente]]

+ * [[correntezza]]

+ * [[correntone]]

+ * [[correntaiolo]]

+ * [[correntino]]

+ * [[correntismo]]

+ * [[correntizio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[correre]]

+ * [[corso]]

+ * [[la|currō]]

+ * [[fr|courant]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A minor homograph, ''corrente'' the dance, was a lively dance of the 16th and 17th centuries in Italy and France, recorded before 1600 and compared with French ''courante'' (1515); it survived as a folk dance in Piedmont.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT) Tommaseo notes that the Piedmontese used the name for the ''monferrina''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|1, 1751)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}