English

Alternative forms

• aduant garde
• avantgarde

Noun

avant-garde ‎(plural avant-gardes)

1. (obsolete) The vanguard of an army or other force.
2. Any group of people who invent or promote new techniques or concepts, especially in the arts.

Synonyms

• (group of people associated with the new): vanguard

Translations

Adjective

avant-garde ‎(comparative more avant-garde, superlative most avant-garde)

1. Innovative, pioneering, especially when extremely or obviously so.

   It was a very avant-garde production.

Synonyms

• mistakenly trendy
• (outside the mainstream): underground
• See also Wikisaurus:innovation

Translations

See also

• leading edge

French

Etymology

avant ‎(“before, in front of”) +‎ garde ‎(“guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.vɑ̃.ɡaʁd/

Noun

avant-garde f ‎(plural avant-gardes)

1. (military) vanguard
2. (figuratively) avant-garde, firing line

Middle French

Noun

avant-garde f (plural avant-gardes)

1. (military) vanguard