ENGLISH
REFERENCE

curran

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈkɝən// cur·ran Archaic

n. an old word for a small, dried grape used in baking. Today, we usually spell this word 'currant'.

n. an archaic spelling of 'currant', referring to a small, seedless dried grape of the Levant. Primarily found in historical texts or early modern English culinary records.


SIMPLE

The old recipe calls for a handful of dried curran.

CONTEXTUAL

In the 17th-century ledger, the merchant recorded the import of several barrels of curran from the Mediterranean.

COMPLEX

While modern orthography has settled on the double-t suffix, historical manuscripts frequently omit the final consonant when referring to the curran as a staple of the spice trade.

Usage

Archaic spelling; in modern English, use 'currant'.

Pitfall

a red currana red currantThe spelling 'curran' is obsolete; modern English requires 'currant' for both the dried grape and the fresh berry.

© 2026 English Reference