vanward

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The Word of the Day for May 25 is:

vanward   \VAN-werd\   adjective
     : located in the vanguard : advanced

Example sentence:
     "[Joint venturing] opportunities now exist for vanward companies in a 
variety of industries, especially other financial services businesses and 
retailing." (Vikas Kapoor, _American Banker_, February 6, 1998)

Did you know?
     The troops at the head of an army are called the "vanguard," and that word 
can also mean "the forefront of an action or movement." It was "vanguard," 
rather than "vanward," that led the way on the route into English. "Vanguard" 
was first documented in English in the 15th century. By the early 17th century, 
it was sometimes shortened to "van" -- a reference might be made to an army's 
"van and rear." Some 200 years later "vanward" brought up the rear, making its 
English debut when writers appended "-ward," an adjective suffix meaning "is 
situated in the direction of," to the shortened "van," thereby creating a word 
meaning "in the forefront."