Pronunciation: ˌ ä- ˌ vän(t)- ' gärd, ˌ a-; ə - ' vänt- ˌ ; ˌ a- ˌ v ō n - ' , ˌ a- ˌ vo ̇ n(t)- '
Function: noun
Etymology: French, vanguard
Date: 1910
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
– avant-gard · ism \ - ' gär- ˌ di-z ə m \ noun
– avant-gard · ist \ - ' gär-dist \ noun