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bleeding edge

bleeding edge

3 8.6
Very new and advanced technology that is not fully tested and may be risky
  • noun
  • /ˈbliːdɪŋ ɛdʒ/
translation icon : tecnología de vanguardia
  • Investing in bleeding edge technology can lead to high rewards, but it also carries significant risks.
  • bleeding-edge technology
  • bleeding-edge tech
  • bleeding-edge engineering

And I'm afraid that bit gets crazy at the bleeding edge.

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Examples

  • That's the problem with being on the bleeding edge.

  • "In keeping up with technology, you have to decide if you want to be on the forefront or the bleeding edge," he says.

    Academic text (2007)
  • But the bleeding edge of Internet culture is a pretty good window into the future.

  • This is an awesome piece of bleeding edge tech.

  • His work is always on the bleeding edge; his storytelling and design sense are always fantastic.

    Blog text (17)
  • I would love the ability to switch back and forth between a stable production version and a bleeding-edge beta system.

    Blog text (22)
  • As one of my university colleagues put it, the trick is to figure out how to be at the leading edge without finding yourself at the bleeding edge.

    Academic text (1994)
  • But both fellows are on the bleeding edge of their consultative professions.

    Blog text (4)
  • They are knowledgeable, bleeding edge, well connected, enthusiastic, and honest.

    Blog text (28)
  • As SSDs become more mainstream, some of the focus has shifted from having the fastest bleeding-edge specifications to the reliability of the device itself.

    Blog text (18)

Synonyms

cutting-edge
vsbleeding edge
49 5.6

Very new and modern because it uses the latest ideas and technology

is even newer and often risky or unstable
state of the art
vsbleeding edge
23 4.6

The newest and most advanced technology or method at a time

is the frontier stage that is newer and often risky or unstable

How Advanced

bleeding edge
3 8.6
cutting edge
37 3.9

Surface Forms

bleeding edge singular

Morphology

bleeding + edge

Although 'edge' can suggest a frontier and 'bleeding' evokes harm or extremeness, the specific sense 'most advanced (and risky) stage of technology' is a metaphorical, jargonistic extension (an intensification of 'cutting edge') that is not directly derivable from the literal words. This construction is partially inferable (danger/extreme) but the specialized meaning in tech discourse requires prior exposure, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely only partially understand it.

Etymology

Bleeding edge comes from the image of a very sharp edge that can make you bleed, like the front of a knife. So it describes technology at the very front of development: it is very new but can be risky or unstable, and people use 'bleeding edge' to mean 'very new and risky'.