avant-garde

/ˌæv.ɒ̃ ˈɡɑːrd/ French Origin Arts

Original Word

avant-garde

French

Entered English

Early 20th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "avant-garde"

From French 'avant-garde', literally 'advance guard' (military term). Adopted in the arts in the late 19th century to describe artists pushing boundaries. Now used for any innovative or experimental work.

Example Usage

"The artist's avant-garde exhibition challenged traditional ideas of beauty."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

More French Loanwords

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