avant la lettre

English

Etymology

Borrowing from French avant la lettre (“before the letter”)

Phrase

avant la lettre

1. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought): (idiomatic) Before the term was coined; used after a term applied anachronistically.

   Suffragettes were feminists avant la lettre. — Suffragettes were feminists before the word "feminist" existed.

   [The events of 1848] were transmuted into a symbol of fraternal multiculturalism avant la lettre.

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French

Etymology

From avant (before) and lettre, a caption added to an engraving to describe the drawing.

Phrase

avant la lettre (avant la lettre)

1. (engraving) Before lettering, before letters. "Épreuve, gravure avant la lettre": a print made before the caption is added (proof engraving, proof before letters)

   Cette estampe a fait l'objet de cinq tirages avant la lettre.

2. (figuratively) Before the term was coined. Used when using a term anachronistically.

   C'était un écologiste avant la lettre.

Antonyms

• (engraving) après la lettre, avec la lettre (lettered)