vaward

noun

va·ward ˈvau̇-ˌȯrd

-ˌwȯrd

archaic

: the foremost part : forefront

… the vaward of our youth …—

William Shakespeare

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vauntwarde, vanwarde, vaward, borrowed from Anglo-French *vantwarde, vantgarde vanguard

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of vaward was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

va-va-voom

vaward

vaxx

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Vaward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaward. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 4 Nov 2025 - Definition revised

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