vanguard. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

vanguard

SYLLABICATION:	van·guard
PRONUNCIATION:	vngärd
NOUN:	1. The foremost position in an army or fleet advancing into battle. 2a. The foremost or leading position in a trend or movement. b. Those occupying a foremost position.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English vandgard, from avaunt garde, from Old French : avaunt, before (from Latin abante; see advance) + garde, guard (from garder, to guard; see guard).
OTHER FORMS:	vanguard·ism —NOUN vanguard·ist —NOUN


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.