English

Phrase

avant la lettre

1. (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.

   • 2010, Stefano Evangelista, The Reception of Oscar Wilde in Europe, page 65:

     One might even advance the case for Wilde's being a celebrity avant la lettre, famous partly for being famous

   • 1998, Dominik Declercq, Writing Against the State: Political Rhetorics in Third and Fourth Century China, page 341:

     as St Francis of Assisi was recently discovered to be an ecologist avant la lettre

   • 2007, Joan DeJean, The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour, page 107:

     a work with a title that is a marketing dream, pure Julia Child well avant la lettre: Le Cuisinier français, The French Chef.

French

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.vɑ̃ la lɛtʁ/

Adjective

avant la lettre m, f ‎(invariable)

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)