avant-garde

1 of 2

noun

ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd How to pronounce avant-garde (audio)
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 noun
avant-gardist noun

avant-garde

2 of 2

adjective

: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers
an avant-garde filmmaker

Examples of avant-garde in a Sentence

Noun to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone Adjective a very avant-garde artist whose works wouldn't even be considered art by many traditionalists
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
What to Consider The hotel’s avant-garde design and high-end amenities mean the hotel may not be the best fit for travelers with small children. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2024 The idea for doing a song together came directly from the eclectic metal/pop/avant-garde singer. Steve Appleford, SPIN, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for avant-garde 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avant-garde.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of avant-garde was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near avant-garde

Cite this Entry

“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avant-garde. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

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