Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps < Middle French angarde observation post, watchpoint, vanguard (12th cent. in Old French; apparently < the Old French reflex of classical Latin ante- ante- prefix + Old French garde guard n.); if so, the sense development may perhaps have arisen from the association of height with pride. The word may also have been associated in English with overgart n. or with ange n., or perhaps with words of similar form in early Scandinavian: compare Old Icelandic ágirnd ambition, insolence, ágjarn ambitious, insolent. Compare angard adj., ogart n.Compare post-classical Latin antegarda , anteguarda , antewarda vanguard (13th cent. in British and continental sources; after Anglo-Norman and Old French avant-garde avant-garde n.). For a detailed discussion of the etymology see C. H. Brett in Mod. Lang. Review 8 (1913) 160–4.

Etymology: Apparently < angard n. (compare forms, and see discussion, at that entry). Compare earlier overgart adj. and later ogart n.With the α. forms compare ogart n.