adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/æˈvɑ̃t.ɡɑːd/
UK:/æˈvɑ̃.ɡɑːd/
UK:/ˌæ.vɑ̃ˈɡɑːd/
UK:/ˈæ.vn̩t.ɡɑːd/
US:/ˌɑˌvɑntˈɡɑɹd/
US:/əˌvɑntˈɡɑɹd/
US:/ˌæ.vɑntˈɡɑɹd/
US:/ˌɑˌvæntˈɡɑɹd/
US:/əˌvæntˈɡɑɹd/
US:/ˌɑˌvɑ̃ˈɡɑɹd/
US:/ˌæˌvɑ̃ˈɡɑɹd/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 V AA1 N T G AA1 R D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AH0 V AA1 N G AA1 R D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Innovative and pioneering, especially when extremely or obviously so.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It was a very avant-garde production.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: underground
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The vanguard of an army or other force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: arrière-garde
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any group of people who invent or promote new techniques or concepts, especially in the arts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: remnant, vanguard
Antonyms: arrière-garde
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
radically new or original
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an avant-garde theater piece
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: daring
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: vanguard, van, new wave
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: artistic movement, art movement
History
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French avant-garde (“vanguard”). Doublet of vanguard and vaward.
Across languages
Translations
78 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
авангарды́сцкі
(avanhardýscki)
— innovative and pioneering
Catalan:
avantguardista
— innovative and pioneering
Chinese Mandarin:
前衛 /前卫
(qiánwèi)
— innovative and pioneering
Chinese Mandarin:
先鋒 /先锋
(xiānfēng)
— innovative and pioneering
Estonian:
avangardistlik
— innovative and pioneering
Estonian:
avangardne
— innovative and pioneering
Finnish:
avantgardistinen
— innovative and pioneering
Galician:
vangardista
— innovative and pioneering
Georgian:
ავანგარდისტული
(avangardisṭuli)
— innovative and pioneering
German:
avantgardistisch
— innovative and pioneering
Hungarian:
avantgárd
— innovative and pioneering
Indonesian:
terdepan
— innovative and pioneering
Indonesian:
terkemuka
— innovative and pioneering
Japanese:
前衛的
(zen'eiteki)
— innovative and pioneering
Macedonian:
авангарди́стички
(avangardístički)
— innovative and pioneering
Malay:
avant-garde
— innovative and pioneering
Polish:
awangardowy
— innovative and pioneering
Portuguese:
vanguardista
— innovative and pioneering
Russian:
авангарди́стский
(avangardístskij)
— innovative and pioneering
Russian:
аванга́рдный
(avangárdnyj)
— innovative and pioneering
Spanish:
vanguardista
— innovative and pioneering
Ukrainian:
авангарди́стський
(avanhardýstsʹkyj)
— innovative and pioneering
Ukrainian:
аванга́рдний
(avanhárdnyj)
— innovative and pioneering
Catalan:
avantguarda
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Chinese Mandarin:
前衛 /前卫
(qiánwèi)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Esperanto:
avangardo
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Finnish:
etujoukko
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
French:
avant-garde
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
German:
Vorhut
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Greek:
αβανγκάρντ
(avangkárnt)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Indonesian:
garda depan
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Indonesian:
barisan depan
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Italian:
avanguardia
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Japanese:
前衛
(zen'ei)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Macedonian:
аванга́рда
(avangárda)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Polish:
awangarda
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Portuguese:
vanguarda
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Romanian:
avangardă
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Russian:
аванга́рд
(avangárd)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Russian:
головно́й отря́д
(golovnój otrjád)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Russian:
передово́й отря́д
(peredovój otrjád)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Spanish:
vanguardia
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Spanish:
anteguardia
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Thai:
แนวหน้า
(nɛɛo-nâa)
— (obsolete) the vanguard of an army or other force
Aragonese:
abantguarda
— group of people promoting new concepts
Bengali:
অগ্রপথিক
(ogropothik)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Catalan:
avantguarda
— group of people promoting new concepts
Chinese Mandarin:
前衛派 /前卫派
— group of people promoting new concepts
Czech:
avantgarda
— group of people promoting new concepts
Danish:
avantgarde
— group of people promoting new concepts
Esperanto:
avangardo
— group of people promoting new concepts
Finnish:
avantgardistit
— group of people promoting new concepts
Finnish:
etujoukko
— group of people promoting new concepts
French:
avant-garde
— group of people promoting new concepts
Georgian:
ავანგარდი
(avangardi)
— group of people promoting new concepts
German:
Avantgarde
— group of people promoting new concepts
German:
Vorhut
— group of people promoting new concepts
German:
Vorreiter
— group of people promoting new concepts
German:
Vorkämpfer
— group of people promoting new concepts
German:
Pioniere
— group of people promoting new concepts
Greek:
αβανγκάρντ
(avangkárnt)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Hebrew:
אוונגרדי
— group of people promoting new concepts
Indonesian:
kaum perintis
— group of people promoting new concepts
Indonesian:
garda depan
— group of people promoting new concepts
Italian:
avanguardia
— group of people promoting new concepts
Japanese:
前衛
(zen'ei)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Korean:
전위
(jeonwi)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Macedonian:
авангарди́ст
(avangardíst)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Norwegian Bokmål:
avantgarde
— group of people promoting new concepts
Norwegian Nynorsk:
avantgarde
— group of people promoting new concepts
Persian:
آوانگارد
(âvângârd)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Polish:
awangarda
— group of people promoting new concepts
Portuguese:
vanguarda
— group of people promoting new concepts
Russian:
аванга́рд
(avangárd)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Russian:
авангарди́сты
(avangardísty)
— group of people promoting new concepts
Spanish:
vanguardia
— group of people promoting new concepts
Turkish:
avangart
— group of people promoting new concepts
Turkish:
öncü
— group of people promoting new concepts
