avant-garde
1 of 2noun
ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd 
ˌa-;
ə-ˈvänt-ˌgärd;
ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈgärd,
ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈgärd
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
the avant-garde in the film industry
avant-gardism
ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgär-ˌdi-zəm
noun ˌa-
avant-gardist
ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgär-dist
noun ˌa-
avant-garde
2 of 2adjective
: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers
an avant-garde filmmaker
Synonyms
Noun
- cutting edge
- van
- vanguard
Adjective
- advanced
- avant
- cutting-edge
- progressive
- state-of-the-art
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Adjective
French, vanguard
First Known Use
Noun
1849, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1925, in the meaning defined above
avant-gardes
noun
as in vanguards
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- vanguards
- pioneers
- undergrounds
- avant-gardists
- vans
- cutting edges
- precursors
- forerunners
- trailblazers
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- establishments
- old guards