avant-garde

Avant-garde (pronounced ) in French means "front guard", "advance guard", or "vanguard". The term is commonly used in French, English, and German to refer to people or works that are experimental or novel, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics. Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm, or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. The notion of the existence of the avant-garde is considered by some to be a hallmark of modernism, as distinct from postmodernism. Postmodernism posits that the age of the constant pushing of boundaries is no longer with us. Postmodernism posits that avant-garde has less applicability (or no applicability at all) in the age of Postmodern art.
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Noun
1. any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
(synonym) vanguard, van, new wave
(hypernym) artistic movement, art movement
Adjective
1. radically new or original; "an avant-garde theater piece"
(synonym) daring
(similar) original

n. cutting edge, avant garde, van, vanguard

n. vanguard, troops in the forefront of the battle; leading position in an movement, those who are on the cutting edge of a trend

n. avant garde, advance guard

n. avant garde, innovative, experimental, unconventional; foremost division of an army, "the vanguard" (French)

Elément de sûreté rapproché qu'une troupe en marche détache en avant pour la renseigner, la protéger contre les surprises terrestres et faciliter son engagement. Il a les fonctions suivantes: a. découvrir et exploiter les brèches dans le système défensif de l'ennemi; b. éviter que le gros de la force en progression ne vienne se heurter aveuglément à une opposition ennemie; c. éliminer une faible opposition ou couvrir le déploiement du gros de la force en cas de rencontre avec une forte opposition. Voir aussi réserve d'avant-garde. 1/2/73

The leading element of an advancing force. The primary mission is to insure the uninterrupted advance of the main body. It has the following functions: a. To find and exploit gaps in the enemy's defensive system. b. To prevent the main body of the advancing force running blindly into enemy opposition. c. To clear away minor opposition or, if major opposition is met, to cover the deployment of the main body. See also main guard. 1/2/73