n.
Pronunciation: ' van- ˌ gärd also ' va ŋ -
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English vauntgard, from Anglo-French vantgarde, avantgarde, from avant- fore- (fr. avant before, from Late Latin abante ) + garde guard ― more at ADVANCE
Date: 15th century
1 : the troops moving at the head of an army
2 : the forefront of an action or movement
– van · guard · ism \ - ˌ gär- ˌ di-z ə m \ noun
– van · guard · ist \ -dist \ noun