van guard

/'van, gard/

noun

  a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas.

  "the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard"

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• a position at the forefront of new developments or ideas. "the prototype was in the vanguard of technical development"

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• synonyms: forefront, advance guard, spearhead, front, front line, fore, van, lead, cutting edge;More

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• the foremost part of an advancing army or naval force.