arrière-garde

noun

The rearguard of an army or other force.

Similar
rearguardold guard
Opposite
avant-garde
OriginMiddle English arryeregarde ← Anglo-Norman arer-garde ← Middle French ariere-garde, arrer-garde, arriere-garde, arrer-garde →
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Meanings

arrière-garde1

nounarrière-garde (plural arrière-gardes)

plural arrière-gardes

  1. obsoleteThe rearguard of an army or other force.

    Synonyms: rearguard · Antonyms: avant-garde

arrière-garde2

nounarrière-garde (plural arrière-gardes)

plural arrière-gardes

  1. Any group of people who favour older, traditional approaches over the modern or avant-garde.

    Synonyms: old guard · Antonyms: avant-garde

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe rearguard of an army or other force.

Similar
rearguard
Opposite
avant-garde

nounAny group of people who favour older, traditional approaches over the modern or avant-garde.

Similar
old guard
Opposite
avant-garde

Origin

arrière-garde · noun

  1. Old Frencharieregarde
  2. Middle Frenchariere-garde, arrer-garde, arriere-garde, arrer-garde
  3. Anglo-Normanarer-garde
  4. Middle Englisharryeregarde
  5. Englisharrière-garde

From Middle English arryeregarde, from Anglo-Norman arer-garde and Middle French ariere-garde, arrer-garde, arriere-garde, arrer-garde, from Old French arieregarde, from arere (“behind”) + guarde (“guard”).

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

arrière-garde · noun

  1. Frencharrière-garde
  2. Englisharrière-garde

Unadapted borrowing from French arrière-garde, by analogy with avant-garde.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian ариергарден, ариергард
  • ариергарден (ariergarden)rearguard
  • ариергард (ariergard)rearguard
French arrière-garde, arrière-garde
  • arrière-garderearguard
  • arrière-gardegroup of people who favour older, traditional approaches
  • vieille gardegroup of people who favour older, traditional approaches
Greek οπισθοφυλακή
  • οπισθοφυλακή (opisthofylakí)rearguard
Polish ariergarda, ariergarda
  • ariergardarearguard
  • ariergardagroup of people who favour older, traditional approaches
Cite this entry
APA

arrière-garde. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arri%C3%A8re-garde

MLA

“arrière-garde.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arri%C3%A8re-garde. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arrière-garde,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arri%C3%A8re-garde.

Source: arrière-garde on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.