- 1the leaders of a movement in society, for example in politics, art, industry, etc. The company is proud to be in the vanguard of scientific progress. The party claimed to be the vanguard of the world revolutionary movement.
- 2the part of an army, etc. that is at the front when moving forward to attack the enemy The army was advancing steadily and the vanguard was already at the border. opposite rearguard Word Originlate Middle English (denoting the foremost part of an army): shortening of Old French avan(t)garde, from avant ‘before’ + garde ‘guard’.
vanguard
nounBrE BrE//ˈvænɡɑːd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈvænɡɑːrd//
(also the vanguard) [singular]Check pronunciation: vanguard
