vanguard

noun

van·​guard ˈvan-ˌgärd 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

1

: the forefront of an action or movement

2

: the troops moving at the head of an army

vanguardism

ˈvan-ˌgär-ˌdi-zəm 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

noun

vanguardist

ˈvan-ˌgär-dist 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

noun

Did you know?

Vanguard comes from Anglo-French avantgarde, from avant, meaning "before," and garde, "guard." In medieval times, avantgarde referred to the troops that marched at the head of the army. In time, vanguard marched its way as a word for the group of people who are the leaders of an action or movement in society, politics, art, etc.

Synonyms

• avant-garde
• cutting edge
• van

Examples of vanguard in a Sentence

a style of jazz that the vanguard quickly recognized as new and exciting

talk radio is often regarded as being in the vanguard of the conservative movement

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, as Butler notes, America’s Christian fundamentalists and far-right Republicans are fervently in the anti-gender vanguard, whether or not these groups actually use the word gender. —Katha Pollitt, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024

Bartók, like Igor Stravinsky and Alban Berg, had the fortune to be a popular modernist, appealing to a broad audience while keeping his place in the twentieth-century vanguard. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vauntgard, borrowed from Anglo-French vantgarde, avantgarde, from avant- "fore-" (from avant "before," going back to Late Latin abante) + garde guard entry 1 — more at advance entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing vanguard

• at the vanguard
• the vanguard

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Kids Definition

vanguard

noun

van·​guard ˈvan-ˌgärd 

1

: the troops moving at the head of an army

2

: the forefront of an action or movement

Etymology

Middle English vauntgard "the troops moving at the head of an army," from early French vantgarde, avantgarde (same meaning), derived from avant- "fore-, in front" and garde "guard"