currant

IPA/ˈkʌrənt/
IPA/ˈkɜːrənt/

currant — noun

  • currantsingular
  • currantsplural

1. a tiny seedless dried grape, often baked into buns, scones, and fruit cakes.

1.nounB2
Definition

a tiny seedless dried grape, often baked into buns, scones, and fruit cakes.

Example

Hana folded currants into the cake batter before the oven was hot.

collocation: fold currants into batter

The baker mixed currants with cinnamon for this year's hot cross buns.

collocation: currants in hot cross buns

Common collocations
  • currant bun
  • currant loaf
  • currant scone
  • mixed currants
  • dried currants
Synonyms
  • raisin

    the broad everyday word for a dried grape; raisins are usually larger than currants.

  • sultana

    a paler, sweeter type of dried grape, especially common in British English.

  • dried fruit

    a broad category that includes currants, raisins, dates, and similar foods.

Grammar Patterns

a currant

currants

Usage Note

Usually refers to the tiny dried fruit used in baking. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the fresh tart berry that grows on a bush.

Common Mistakes

These currants are fresh grapes from the vine.
These currants are dried grapes for baking.
in this sense, currants are the small dried fruit, not fresh grapes.

2. a small tart berry that hangs in clusters on a bush and can be eaten raw or cook

2.nounB2
Definition

a small tart berry that hangs in clusters on a bush and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Example

Meera picked red currants from the garden and cooked them into jam.

collocation: red currants

The market stall sold fresh currants beside peaches and summer cherries.

collocation: fresh currants

Common collocations
  • red currants
  • black currants
  • currant bush
  • currant jam
  • currant jelly
Synonyms
  • berry

    a much broader word; currants are one particular kind of small berry.

  • gooseberry

    a related bush fruit, but it is usually larger and not the same as a currant.

Grammar Patterns

a currant

currants

Usage Note

Often refers to red, black, or white currants as fruit used in jam, jelly, or desserts. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the dried baking fruit.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In baking English, currant usually means the tiny dried grape used in scones, buns, and fruit cakes. Raisin is the broader everyday word for a dried grape, and raisins are usually larger and softer than currants. Sultana is another type of dried grape, often paler and sweeter, especially in British English. When currant means the fresh berry, it refers to the small tart fruit that grows in clusters on a bush, often red, black, or white. Berry is only the general category, while gooseberry names a larger fruit from a related bush. If a recipe asks for currants, check whether it means the dried baking fruit or the fresh sharp berry.

currant ↗raisin ↗sultana ↗berry ↗

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

The English word 'currant' first referred to the small dried grapes shipped from Corinth in Greece. Over time, English shortened a phrase meaning 'raisin of Corinth' to the single word 'currant'. Later, the name was also used for the small berries of the Ribes bush because they were similar in size and often used in cooking.