avatar

[ av-uh-tahr, av-uh-tahr ]

noun

1. Hinduism. the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god.
2. an embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life:

   Her complete loss of confidence was particularly unsettling, because generally she is the very avatar of hope.

3. Digital Technology. a static or moving image or other graphic representation that acts as a proxy for a person or is associated with a specific digital account or identity, as on the internet:

   My friend always chooses warriors as his video game avatars.

   Now that spring's here I've switched my Instagram avatar from a stack of books to a robin's egg.

4. Also called avatar mouse,. a mouse that is implanted with cells or tissue freshly extracted from a human being, as to test drug therapies for an individual patient or to study a disease process:

   Researchers transplanted samples of the patient’s tumor into specially bred avatars.

5. (in science fiction) a hybrid creature, composed of human and alien DNA and remotely controlled by the mind of a genetically matched human being.

avatar

/ ˈævəˌtɑː /

noun

1. Hinduism the manifestation of a deity, notably Vishnu, in human, superhuman, or animal form
2. a visible manifestation or embodiment of an abstract concept; archetype
3. a movable image that represents a person in a virtual reality environment or in cyberspace

avatar

1. In Hinduism , a god made visibly present, especially in a human form. The Buddha is considered an avatar of the god Vishnu .

Notes

By extension, an “avatar” is any new embodiment of an old idea.

Word History and Origins

Origin of avatar¹

First recorded in 1775–85; from Sanskrit avatāra “a passing down, descent,” from ava “down” + -tāra “a passing over” (akin to Latin trāns “across, beyond, through”; through ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of avatar¹

C18: from Sanskrit avatāra a going down, from avatarati he descends, from ava down + tarati he passes over

Example Sentences

Because I think Avatar is a really good blend of entertainment and substance.

From The Daily Beast

She was a cooing and cherubic mini-avatar called Anima, which players earned after reaching a certain level in the game Prius.

From The Daily Beast

You know, James Cameron: the director of The Terminator, True Lies, Titanic, and Avatar, among other obscure movies.

From The Daily Beast

I had no way of knowing—or even asking—if they had mistaken this monkey-faced avatar for me.

From The Daily Beast

The monkey avatar stared back at me, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.

From The Daily Beast

The former believe that the last avatar of Vishnu took place beneath its shade.

From Project Gutenberg

He is a myth, and what is more he is a solar myth—an avatar, or at least a representative of Odin in his solar capacity.

From Project Gutenberg

Christna-Avatar, the son of the virgin Devanaguy, one formed by God; 9.

From Project Gutenberg

But some day it will reassert itself, for it is stronger than we, alike our overlord and avatar.

From Project Gutenberg

I sit in this tiny hotel by the sea and reflect that it is over three years since I awoke from death and assumed a new avatar.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apotheosis
• archetype
• epitome
• exemplar
• expression
• personification
• realization
• symbol