avant

avant — adjective

1. describing art, music, films, or fashion that is new and experimental — going fu

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing art, music, films, or fashion that is new and experimental — going further than what most people consider normal or familiar at the time, like a film-maker who rejects traditional storytelling or a chef who serves surprising flavour combinations.

例句

The Tokyo gallery only shows avant films by directors under twenty-five.

attributive: avant + noun describing creative work

Élise wore an avant dress made from recycled coffee sacks and old buttons.

avant modifying a fashion item (dress)

同義詞
  • experimental

    focuses on trying new methods; less emphasis on being ahead of the times

  • innovative

    positive and practical — can apply to technology or business, not just art

  • cutting-edge

    suggests the very latest developments; common in technology and science as well as art

  • avant-garde

    the full form; can also be a noun ('the avant-garde')

反義詞
  • conventional

    following accepted styles and methods rather than breaking new ground

  • traditional

    rooted in long-established practices rather than experimentation

文法句型

avant + noun (film, art, fashion, music, design, cuisine, literature, theatre)

用法筆記

Almost always placed before a noun (attributive position) that names a creative field or object — 'avant film', 'avant design', 'avant cuisine'. Unlike 'avant-garde', the short form 'avant' is not used as a noun in English: you cannot say 'the avant' to refer to the movement. For predicative use (after 'be' or 'seem'), prefer the full form 'avant-garde'.

常見錯誤

❌She is a well-known avant of the 1990s.
✅She is a well-known avant-garde artist of the 1990s.
💡'Avant' is an adjective only; the noun form is 'avant-garde'.
❌His music style is very avant.
✅He makes very avant music.
💡'Avant' is rarely used after a linking verb; place it before the noun it describes.
❌They showed an avant-gardeist film at the museum.
✅They showed an avant film at the museum.
💡The clipped form 'avant' is preferred in modern English; 'avant-gardeist' is non-standard and very rare.