avant-garde

[uh-vahnt-gahrd, uh-vant-, av-ahnt-, ah-vahnt-, a-vahn-gard]

noun

1. the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods.

adjective

1. of or relating to the experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary material.

2. belonging to the avant-garde.

   an avant-garde composer.

3. unorthodox or daring; radical.

   To regain public trust in the news media, the organization took the avant-garde approach of including the public in the production of news.

avant-garde

/ avɑ̃ɡard, ˌævɒŋˈɡɑːd /

noun

1. those artists, writers, musicians, etc, whose techniques and ideas are markedly experimental or in advance of those generally accepted

adjective

1. of such artists, etc, their ideas, or techniques

2. radical; daring

Other Word Forms

• avant-gardist noun
• avant-gardism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of avant-garde¹

First recorded in 1475–85; in sense “vanguard”; from French: literally, “fore-guard;” vanguard

Word History and Origins

Origin of avant-garde¹

from French: _vanguard

Example Sentences

Her sounds careen and resonate in avant-garde ways that feel primal, even tectonic.

From Los Angeles Times

The look became the unofficial uniform of the wealthy avant-garde, in a striking contrast with the fitted English tailoring that had dominated menswear for a century.

From Los Angeles Times

"Good avant-garde paintings don't come out of nowhere - they are of obvious quality, come with documented provenance and, ideally, an exhibition history," he explained.

From BBC

Yet the broad popular audience ate it up, as they did the avant-garde dance choreography.

From Salon

Her avant-garde exaggerated ruffles, engulfing puff sleeves and sporadic seafarer motifs have since been fast-tracked into the world of celebrity stylists, red carpets, music video sets and the stages of touring musicians.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advanced 
• ahead of its time www.thesaurus.com
• experimental 
• groundbreaking 
• innovative 
• innovatory www.thesaurus.com
• inventive 
• modern 
• new 
• original 
• pioneering 
• progressive 
• revolutionary 
• state-of-the-art 
• trailblazing www.thesaurus.com
• ultramodern 
• unorthodox 

When To Use

What does avant-garde mean?

From the French, avant-garde describes experimental or innovative art or design, or the group of people who make them and push the envelope in their field. It can also more generally refer to anything considered "unorthodox" or "radical."