avant-coureur

French

Etymology

From courir (“to run”) + avant (“in front, before”). Compare English forerunner, precursor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.vɑ̃.ku.ʁœʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

avant-coureur m (plural avant-coureurs, feminine avant-coureuse or avant-courrière)

1. (dated, literally) messenger, scout (person who runs ahead of the army to deliver news)

   Synonym: éclaireur

2. harbinger, precursor, forerunner (thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of something)

Adjective

avant-coureur (feminine avant-coureuse or avant-courrière, masculine plural avant-coureurs, feminine plural avant-coureuses or avant-courrières)

1. predictive; that predicts; foreshadowing

   Synonyms: prémonitoire, annonciateur

   signe avant-coureur ― portent, canary in a coal mine

Further reading

• “avant-coureur”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.