WordofTheDay.US

vanguard

/ˈvanˌɡɑːd/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about vanguard at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. The leading units at the front of an army or fleet.
  2. The person or people at the forefront of a group or movement.

Origin

From Middle English vandgard, vaunte garde, vaunt garde, wantgard, from advaunte-garde, avauntgard with aphesis, from Old French avangarde, avant-garde, avantgarde, from avant (“before; in front”) + garde (“guard”). Doublet of avant-garde and vaward.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)