I. ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd, ˌa-; ə-ˈvänt-ˌ; ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈ, ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈ noun
Etymology: French, vanguard
Date: 1910
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
• avant-gard·ism -ˈgär-ˌdi-zəm noun
• avant-gard·ist -ˈgär-dist noun
II. adjective
Date: 1925
: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers