cutting edge

1. An effective quality or element.

2. The position of greatest advancement or importance; the forefront: "California is on the cutting edge of trends that spread nationwide" (Carl Ingram).

cut′ting-edge′ adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cutting edge

the leading position in any field; forefront: on the cutting edge of space technology.

adj

at the forefront of people or things in a field of activity; leading: cutting-edge technology.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cut′ting edge′

the most advanced position; forefront; lead: on the cutting edge of computer technology.

[1950–55]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	cutting edge - the position of greatest importance or advancement; the leading position in any movement or field; "the Cotswolds were once at the forefront of woollen manufacturing in England"; "the idea of motion was always to the forefront of his mind and central to his philosophy" forefront, vanguard perspective, view, position - a way of regarding situations or topics etc.; "consider what follows from the positivist view"
	2.	cutting edge - the sharp cutting side of the blade of a knife knife edge blade - the flat part of a tool or weapon that (usually) has a cutting edge edge - a sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object; "he rounded the edges of the box" edge tool - any cutting tool with a sharp cutting edge (as a chisel or knife or plane or gouge)

Translations

Dengel

cutting edge

a. (of knife) → taglio, filo

b. (fig) on or at the cutting edge of sth → all'avanguardia di qc

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

At first he was content to achieve a cutting edge of a couple of inches, with which he cut a long, pliable bow, a handle for his knife, a stout cudgel, and a goodly supply of arrows.

View in context

A kourbash is a strip of old hippo-hide with a sort of keel on it, like the cutting edge of a boar's tusk.

View in context

He no longer worried for fear that the sharp, cutting edges should slip and mar his work.

View in context

The title of the book, The Cutting Edge, is a double entendre--referring to students as "the cutting edge" thinkers of the future, as well as the victims of "the cutting edge" of the budget ax in the visual arts.

The cutting-edge challenge

Every time I am fortunate enough to take one airborne I think about those who have gone before me and the advancements in technology that have kept Naval Aviation's capabilities on the cutting edge. It's interesting that the performance of the F-4, though serving primarily as a drone/target aircraft, is still unmatched by many aircraft in service around the world."

In relentless pursuit of excellence: VX-30 Bloodhounds

Among the services it offers is the acquisition of "human source intelligence" It meets its goals by "featuring cutting edge technology." We might have seen some of this cutting edge technology in the recently released photos.

Strange fruit in Abu Ghraib: the privatization of torture

In addition to cross-selling and up-selling practices, financial services companies implement speech recognition systems to generate added revenue from call centers, according to Cutting Edge Information's report, "Managing Financial Services Call Centers."

SPEECH RECOGNITION CENTERS REDUCE CALL TIME BY 35%

One camp on the cutting edge of this process is Camp Champions in Marble Falls, Texas.

Transitioning teens into responsible young adults: a camp on the cutting edge: second in a series of case studies

Check the angle of the cutting edge and hold the tool on the belt so it preserves this angle while you're sharpening.

Belt-sander tool sharpener

Choosing the proper cutting edge broadhead weight can be a bit confusing especially with lightweight arrows.

Cutting-edge broadheads: traditional-style heads might appear old-fashioned, but they're really the most advanced of all. (Stickbow Hunting)

Over the years, this meeting has evolved into a national caliber meeting with cutting edge topics and talented speakers.

Meeting prepares AMAA members to care for marathoners