c current is DEFINED as the rate at which charge flows through a SURFACE (the cross section of a wire, for example). Despite referring to many different things, the word current is often used by itself instead of the longer, more formal "electric current". The adjective "electrical" is implied by the context of the situation being described. The phrase "current through a toaster" surely refers to the flow of electrons through the heating element and not the flow of slices of bread through the slots.As with all quantities defined as a rate, there are two ways to write the definition of electric current — average current for those who claim ignorance of calculus…I̅ = ΔqΔtand instantaneous current for those with no fear of calculus…I = limΔt→0Δq = dqΔt dtThe UNIT of current is the ampère [A], which is named for the French scientist André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836). In written languages without ACCENTED letters (namely English) it has become customary to write the unit as ampere and, in informal communication, to shorten the word to amp. I have no PROBLEM with either of these spellings. Just don't use a capital "A" at the beginning. Ampère refers to a physicist, while ampère (or ampere or amp) refers to a unit.Since charge is measured in coulombs and time is measured in seconds, an ampère is the same as a coulomb per second.⎡⎣ A = C ⎤⎦sThis is an algebraic relation, not a definition. The ampère is a fundamental unit in the International System. Other units are derived from it. Fundamental units are themselves defined by experiment. In the case of the ampère, the experiment is electromagnetic in nature.The ampère is that constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section, and placed one meter apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2 × 10−7 newton per meter of length.