vanguard
English · Thesaurus
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vanguard
- /ˈvanˌɡɑːd/ UK
- /ˈvænˌɡɑɹd/ Canada, US
- [ˈvɛənˌɡɑɹd] Canada, US
- /ˈveːnˌɡɐːd/ Australia
- /ˈvɛnˌɡɐːd/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -ænɡɑː(ɹ)d
Where it comes from
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.
noun vanguards · vantguard
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The leading units at the front of an army or fleet.
They ſay, that the King diuided his Armie into three Battailes; whereof the Vant-guard onely well ſtrengthened with wings, came to fight.
Similar: advance guard, avant, avant-garde, van, vaward · Opposite: arrière-garde, rearguard
-
The person or people at the forefront of a group or movement.
By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.
Similar: avant-garde, remnant
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: forefront, van, cutting edge, avant garde, avant-garde, frontline, frontrunner, frontier, way, trailblazer, pioneer, edge, leading, leadership, top, forerunner
Translations
Every language
noun leading units of an army
| Español | vanguardia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 전위 jeonwi |
| 日本語 | 前衛 zen'ei |
| 中文 | 先鋒 /先锋 xiānfēng, 先頭部隊 /先头部队 xiāntóu bùduì, 尖兵 jiānbīng, 前衛 /前卫 qiánwèi |
| Português | vanguarda, anteguarda |
| Français | avant-garde |
| Deutsch | Vorhut |
| Italiano | avanguardia, prima linea |
| Ελληνικά | εμπροσθοφυλακή emprosthofylakí |
| Română | avangardă, antegardă |
| Русский | аванга́рд avangárd |
| Tiếng Việt | tiền phong, tiên phong |
| العربية | طَلِيعَة ṭalīʕa |
| עברית | חיל החלוץ |
noun forefront of any group or movement
| Español | vanguardia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 선봉 seonbong |
| 中文 | 先鋒 /先锋 xiānfēng, 先驅 /先驱 xiānqū, 前沿 qiányán |
| Português | vanguarda |
| Français | avant-garde |
| Deutsch | Avantgarde, Spitze |
| Ελληνικά | πρωτοπορία protoporía, αβάν-γκαρντ aván-gkarnt |
| Română | avangardă |
| Русский | аванга́рд avangárd |
| Tiếng Việt | tiền phong, tiên phong |
| العربية | طَلِيعَة ṭalīʕa |
Talk about this word "vanguard." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/vanguard. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. vanguard. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/vanguard "vanguard." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/vanguard.Cite this
@misc{vanguard_2026,
title = {vanguard},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/vanguard},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
