The idiom “cutting edge” describes something innovative or new, often in technology or art. It has evolved from its literal meaning as the sharpest part of a tool and is related to the adjective “edgy” and the phrase “state of the art”. Idioms offer a conversational and colorful tone in language.
“Cutting edge” is an English idiom used to describe something that is particularly advanced or brand new in terms of innovation. This idiom gained popularity in the 1950s and is still commonly used today to describe anything new to the public. Literally, the idiom “sharp” is another way of describing the sharpest blade of a tool, like a plough, used to cut things. The modern usage of the phrase often comes when someone is describing some sort of technological advancement or artistic achievement that is unlike anything that has come before.
Phrases and expressions that take on a meaning that is somewhat different from the literal definitions of the words that compose them are known as idioms. Over time, idioms come to mean something that can be very divergent from the meaning of the sentence when it originated. Such phrases offer speakers a way to achieve a conversational and colorful tone. Many idioms are used to describe innovative and different things. One of the most popular of these is the idiomatic expression “cutting edge”.
If something is described in this way, it often means that it uses new technology that has never been experienced by the general public before. Computer technology is often labeled this way if it is new and unique. For example, consider the sentence: “I’ve never seen a laptop that can do all of these things; this is really cutting-edge technology.” In this example, the sentence shows the extent to which the technology is exceptionally impressive and innovative.
This idiomatic expression is often used to describe someone or something in the art community. People who embrace a lot of pop culture like movies, books, and television are often looking for things they haven’t seen or heard before, and those innovators who can offer something new are often described in the glowing terms that expression affords. For example, someone might say, “He’s been making cutting-edge films for so long that I can’t wait to see how he surprises me with his next film.”
This phrase is also related to the adjective “edgy”, which, in certain contexts, also describes something new and different. The phrase can also be extended, such as when someone describes something as ‘state of the art’. Whichever version is used, this expression has evolved considerably from its original literal meaning as the sharpest part of a tool.
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