cutting edge

American  

noun

1. the sharp edge of a cutting implement.

2. forefront; lead.

   on the cutting edge of computer technology.

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cutting edge British  

noun

1. the leading position in any field; forefront

   on the cutting edge of space technology

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adjective

1. at the forefront of people or things in a field of activity; leading

   cutting-edge technology

Other Word Forms

• cutting-edge adjective

Etymology

Origin of cutting edge

First recorded in 1950–55

Explanation

Something that's cutting-edge is the very latest or the most stylish. If you always covet the newest kind of cellphone, you could say that you like cutting-edge technology. The adjective cutting-edge often describes new advances in science or technology — a hospital might advertise its use of cutting-edge cancer treatments, for example. Art can be described as cutting-edge as well, if it uses innovative techniques or does something completely new. The word cutting-edge has only been used in this figurative way since the mid-1960s; before that it literally meant "the edge of a tool's blade."

Example Sentences

While not as important as the cutting edge chips from U.S.,

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Somewhere along the line, though, England have misplaced their cutting edge.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Still, war is among the most chaotic and complex human endeavors—posing unique problems for even the cutting edge of robotic thinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

While a handful of star researchers on the cutting edge of science attract federal grants in the tens-of-millions of dollars, faculty in the social sciences and humanities often struggle to generate six figures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The vibrasaw purred through heavy vines, parted tangled underbrush like a comb through wet hair, and sliced cleanly through metal when the odd misstroke brought the cutting edge down onto the track.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Related Words

• forefront
• front line
• vanguard