leading edge
Americannoun
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Aeronautics. the edge of an airfoil or propeller blade facing the direction of motion.
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something that is or represents the most advanced or innovative aspect of a field, activity, profession, etc.; forefront; vanguard.
the leading edge of technology.
noun
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the forward edge of a propeller blade, aerofoil, or wing Compare trailing edge
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electrical engineering the part of a pulse signal that has an increasing amplitude
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the leading position in any field
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( as modifier )
leading-edge technology
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of leading edge
First recorded in 1875–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It is the leading edge of a system that lacks accountability, effective monitoring, and prioritizes inputs rather than outcomes.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
It seemed more likely to Egan that the Betterment survey was catching the leading edge of a troubling mindset shift.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Smith, so often Australia's talisman, chipped a leading edge straight back to the off-spinner to depart for 44 and leave his side 122-4 in their second innings.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
“AI users are thus the leading edge of the margin recovery underway across XRT,” he writes, and the stocks should eventually reflect that.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Being on the leading edge of integration was not for the faint of heart.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
