current - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

If it's in the past, it's not current. If it's out of date, out of style, or out of time, it's not current. If it's up-to-the-minute, right now, and in the present, it is current.

Origins of the word current all point to the meaning "present." Things that are current are happening now; they are part of the present time. News reporting looks at "current affairs" because past affairs are no longer news; they are history. Expressions like "staying current" or "keeping up with current events" show a need or desire to know what's popular, important, or relevant now. As a noun, a current can be a flow of water, electricity, or ideas.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: current

1	adj	occurring in or belonging to the present time
2	n	a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes)

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: current

1

adj occurring in or belonging to the present time

“current events”

“the current topic”

“current negotiations”

“current psychoanalytic theories”

“the ship's current position”

Synonyms: actual
being or existing at the present moment; afoot, underway
currently in progress; circulating
passing from one to another; contemporary, present-day
belonging to the present time; incumbent
currently holding an office; live
of current relevance; live
in current use or ready for use; occurrent
presently occurring (either causally or incidentally); on-going, ongoing
currently happening; on-line, online
being in progress now; topical
of interest at the present time; up-to-date
reflecting the latest information or changes; latest, up-to-the-minute
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date; modern
belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages; new
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

Antonyms:: noncurrent
not current or belonging to the present time; back
of an earlier date; dead
no longer having force or relevance; disused, obsolete
no longer in use; out-of-date, outdated, superannuated
old; no longer valid or fashionable; obsolescent
becoming obsolete; old
of long duration; not new; past
earlier than the present time; no longer current; show more antonyms...

2

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

“the raft floated downstream on the current”

Synonyms:: stream

Types:: show 15 types...; hide 15 types...; tidal current, tidal flow
the water current caused by the tides; rip current, riptide
a strong surface current flowing outwards from a shore; undercurrent, undertide
a current below the surface of a fluid; torrent, violent stream
a violently fast stream of water (or other liquid); eddy, twist
a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself; maelstrom, vortex, whirlpool
a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides); ocean current
the steady flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction; aegir, bore, eager, eagre, tidal bore
a high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary); sea purse, sea puss, sea-poose, sea-purse, sea-puss, undertow
the seaward undercurrent created after waves have broken on the shore; Charybdis
(Greek mythology) a ship-devouring whirlpool lying on the other side of a narrow strait from Scylla; El Nino
(oceanography) a warm ocean current that flows along the equator from the date line and south off the coast of Ecuador at Christmas time; equatorial current
any of the ocean currents that flow westward at the equator; Gulf stream
a warm ocean current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico northward through the Atlantic Ocean; Japan current, Kuroshio, Kuroshio current
a warm ocean current that flows northeastwardly off the coast of Japan into the northern Pacific ocean; Humboldt current, Peruvian current
a cold ocean current that flows north along the Pacific Coast of South America before turning west

Type of:: flow, flowing
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

n a flow of electricity through a conductor

“the current was measured in amperes”

Synonyms:: electric current

Types:: juice
electric current; thermionic current
an electric current produced between two electrodes as a result of electrons emitted by thermionic emission

Type of:: electrical phenomenon
a physical phenomenon involving electricity

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

“the current of history”

Synonyms:: flow, stream

Type of:: course, line
a connected series of events or actions or developments