Definition: Avant-garde

From New World Encyclopedia

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French avant-garde (vanguard). Doublet of vanguard.

Noun

avant-garde (plural avant-gardes)

  1. Any group of people who invent or promote new techniques or concepts, especially in the arts.

Adjective

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

  1. Innovative and pioneering, especially when extremely or obviously so.
    It was a very avant-garde production.

Derived terms

  • avant-gardism
  • avant-gardist

Credits

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