courante
[koo-rahnt; French koo-rahnt]
- a dance dating back to the 17th century and characterized by a running or gliding step.
- a piece of music for or suited to this dance.
- Music. a movement following the allemande in the classical suite.
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Also courant.
Origin of courante
1580–90; < Middle French; literally, running, feminine present participle of courir to run; cf. current
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for courante
Historical Examples
It was originally a branle of Poitou, derived from the Courante.
That thought had been growing, and the gavotte, the courante, the pavane becoming rehearsals.
The Confounding of CameliaAnne Douglas Sedgwick
Courante′, Courant′, an old dance with a kind of gliding step.
After the Pavane came the Courante, a court dance performed on tiptoe with slightly jumping steps and many bows and curtseys.
During this time also the ceremonial ball (with all its elaborate detail of courante, minuet and saraband) was cultivated.
courante
- an old dance in quick triple time
- a movement of a (mostly) 16th- to 18th-century suite based on this
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Also called (esp for the dance): coranto
Word Origin
C16: from French, literally: running, feminine of courant, present participle of courir to run, from Latin currere
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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