Definitions for current
ˈkɜr ənt, ˈkʌr-cur·rent

Princeton's WordNet(2.45 / 18 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current, electric currentnoun

   a flow of electricity through a conductor

   "the current was measured in amperes"

2. current, streamnoun

   a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes)

   "the raft floated downstream on the current"; "he felt a stream of air"; "the hose ejected a stream of water"

3. stream, flow, currentadjective

   dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas

   "two streams of development run through American history"; "stream of consciousness"; "the flow of thought"; "the current of history"

4. currentadjective

   occurring in or belonging to the present time

   "current events"; "the current topic"; "current negotiations"; "current psychoanalytic theories"; "the ship's current position"

Wiktionary(2.00 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. currentnoun

   The part of a fluid that moves continuously in a certain direction.

   Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

2. currentnoun

   The time rate of flow of electric charge.

   Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

3. currentnoun

   A tendency or a course of events.

   Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

4. currentadjective

   Existing or occurring at the moment.

   Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

5. currentadjective

   Generally accepted, used, practiced, or prevalent at the moment.

   Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Currentadjective

   running or moving rapidly

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

2. Currentadjective

   now passing, as time; as, the current month

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

3. Currentadjective

   passing from person to person, or from hand to hand; circulating through the community; generally received; common; as, a current coin; a current report; current history

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

4. Currentadjective

   commonly estimated or acknowledged

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

5. Currentadjective

   fitted for general acceptance or circulation; authentic; passable

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

6. Currentadjective

   a flowing or passing; onward motion. Hence: A body of fluid moving continuously in a certain direction; a stream; esp., the swiftest part of it; as, a current of water or of air; that which resembles a stream in motion; as, a current of electricity

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

7. Currentadjective

   general course; ordinary procedure; progressive and connected movement; as, the current of time, of events, of opinion, etc

   Etymology: [OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Current

   kur′ent, adj. running or flowing: passing from person to person: generally received: now passing: present.—n. a running or flowing: a stream: a portion of water or air moving in a certain direction: course.—n. Curr′ency, circulation: that which circulates, as the money of a country: general estimation.—adv. Curr′ently.—n. Curr′entness, state of being current: general acceptance.—Pass current, to be received as genuine. [L. currens, -ent-is—currĕre), to run.]

The Standard Electrical Dictionary(3.75 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Current

   The adjustment, or effects of a continuous attempt at readjustment of potential difference by a conductor, q. v., connecting two points of different potential. A charged particle or body placed in a field of force tends to move toward the oppositely charged end or portion of the field. If a series of conducting particles or a conducting body are held so as to be unable to move, then the charge of the field tends, as it were, to move through it, and a current results. It is really a redistribution of the field and as long as such redistribution continues a current exists. A current is assumed to flow from a positive to a negative terminal; as in the case of a battery, the current in the outer circuit is assumed to flow from the carbon to the zinc plate, and in the solution to continue from zinc to carbon. As a memoria technica the zinc may be thought of as generating the current delivering it through the solution to the carbon, whence it flows through the wire connecting them. (See Ohm's Law--Maxwell's Theory of Light--Conductor-Intensity.) [Transcriber's note: Supposing electric current to be the motion of positive charge causes no practical difficulty, but the current is actually the (slight) motion of negative electrons.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A body of water moving in a certain direction and caused by wind and density differences in water. The effects of a current are modified by water depth, underwater topography, basin shape, land masses, and deflection from the earth

CrunchBase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. CURRENT

   CURRENT, a Germantown, MD-based provider of core smart grid infrastructure and software solutions.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A certain progressive flowing of the sea in one direction, by which all bodies floating therein are compelled more or less to submit to the stream. The setting of the current, is that point of the compass towards which the waters run; and the drift of the current is the rate it runs at in an hour. Currents are general and particular, the former depending on causes in constant action, the latter on occasional circumstances. (See DIRECTION.)

2. current

   Depends on several circumstances. First, the tide varies with the state of the moon, running strongest at the springs, and the force of the ebb is much increased by rains, land freshes, &c. The currents also vary, especially when wind and tide combine to accelerate their action.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A flow of electricity through a conductor.

   Rhe battery current was very efficient.

   Submitted by MaryC on December 28, 2019  

2. current

   A movement of energy.

   The air current at the coast and inland was moderate and calm.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 13, 2020  

3. current

   The present moment.

   The current love, solidarity and unity we all share is creating the loving, just and fair solutions we choose from our hearts.

   Submitted by MaryC on May 2, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Electrical Phenomenon
   • Flow

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #727

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1248

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Nouns Frequency: #2139

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Adjectives Frequency: #84

How to pronounce current?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say current in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of current in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of current in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of current in a Sentence

1. Kenji Goto:

   I need to go there at least once and see my fixers and ask them what the current situation is. I need to talk to them face to face. I think that's necessary.

2. Pieter Cohen:

   We have no long-term data that people will be healthier if they use the current drugs on the market.

3. Gavin Screaton:

   Although this work is at a very early stage, it suggests previous exposure to dengue virus may enhance Zika infection, this may be why the current outbreak has been so severe, and why it has been in areas where dengue is prevalent.

4. Jacob Kholi:

   In the current economic environment, investors want areas where success is proven, growth is strong and will remain strong. Big African cities give you that, it has become even more important to focus on these key cities than before.

5. Jennifer Baker of the NRA:

   This administration is vehemently anti-gun, and what they did this week ... is they merely re-stated the current law. But the abuse is going to come in the implementation, and what they are trying to do is chill lawful behavior by law-abiding individuals through intimidation.

Images & Illustrations of current

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