Standard Lemma guide

courant

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkʊɹənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʊɹənt
  • homophone: current
  • homophone: currant (hurry–furry merger, cure–fir merger)
  • CMU ARPABET: K UH1 R AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Represented as running.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics

Examples

  • a classical lion courant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: at speed, in full chase, in full course

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A piece of music in triple time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A lively dance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A lively dance.

A courante.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a. 1699, Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet, Heads designed for an essay on conversation It is harder, in that, to dance a courant well than a jig.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A circulating gazette of news; a newspaper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From French courant (“running”). Doublet of car, carry, courier, course, current, horse, hurry, and rush.

Alternative form of courante.