avatar

American  

[av-uh-tahr, av-uh-tahr] / ˈæv əˌtɑr, ˌæv əˈtɑr /

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,.  Also called mouse avatar.  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.

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avatar British  

/ 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

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avatar Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

Etymology

Origin of avatar

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. ) )

Example Sentences

The Altmans’ “appearances” merge cinematic footage with their AI avatars, which were created from facial and body scans.

From The Wall Street Journal

This deeply moving novel explores the aftermath of loss and the shape of grief in an age of avatars and algorithmically mediated emotion.

From Los Angeles Times

The difference is that the action in the game world can only be explored through the virtual bodily space of the avatar.

From BBC

The company has invested heavily in such headsets and its metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds, where users can interact as avatars.

From BBC

The restaurant has also created a social media buzz, with an Instagram account dedicated to the AI Chef that features chef Aiman's avatar in videos sharing tips and recipes.

From Barron's

Related Words

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