avant-courier
/avɒ̃ːˈkʊrɪə
/noun historical
A person running ahead, especially a member of the advance guard of an army.The avant-courier rode at full speed into the court....
- Why, then, don't the avant-couriers who praise the piece as one of Schoenberg's greatest take note of this outbreak of tonality?
- Landseer, however, instead of following his avant-courier in an hour, arrived in a few minutes after him.
Origin
Early 17th century: from French avant 'forward, before' + courier.