currant
UK[ˈkʌrənt]US[ˈkɜːrənt]
n
A small dried seedless grape used in cooking.
n
A small round edible berry of various shrubs of the genus Ribes, which may be red, black, or white.
Etymology
The word 'currant' has a fascinating journey shaped by geography and language. It originates from the name of the Greek city and island 'Corinth', famous in antiquity for exporting small dried grapes. In the 14th century, Anglo-Norman French adopted this as 'raisins de Corauntz' (grapes of Corinth), which was later shortened to 'corauntz'. English borrowed this term, and its spelling gradually evolved to 'currant'. By the 16th century, the name was transferred to the unrelated but similarly small, berry-like fruits of the Ribes shrubs, solidifying its modern dual meaning based on resemblance rather than botanical relation.
Analysis
This word is a loanword where the spelling and form have been fully anglicized and do not transparently segment into meaningful English morphemes.
Examples
She added a handful of dried currants to the scone mixture.
The red currant bush in the garden was heavy with fruit.
The recipe calls for blackcurrant jam, not blackberry.