avatar

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

/ ˈæv əˌtɑr, ˌæv əˈtɑr /

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noun

Hindu Mythology. the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god.

an embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.

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 boyfriend always chooses sexy female warriors as his video game avatars.

Also called avatar mouse, 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.

(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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Origin of avatar

First recorded in 1775–85; from Sanskrit avatāra “a passing down, descent,” equivalent to ava “down” + -tāra “a passing over,” akin to Latin trāns “across, over,” English through and thorough, German durch “through”

Words nearby avatar

Avar, avarice, avaricious, avascular, avast, avatar, avaunt, A.V.C., avdp., ave, ave atque vale

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use avatar in a sentence

Shy students can take the form of learning avatars in online laboratories — or explore career paths first-hand, through virtual reality.
Why hasn’t digital learning lived up to its promise?|Walter Thompson|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
Add in its long moveable robotic arm and its passenger—the whirring meter-wide solar- powered Ingenuity—and this machine has a presence at the extreme end of the exploration avatars we have placed on other worlds in our solar system.
Take Our Virtual Trip to Mars - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Caleb Scharf|September 2, 2020|Nautilus
Individuals that have claimed their people card can add details such as a personal description, their occupation, employer, location, profile avatar, phone number, website and social media accounts.
Google launches ‘people cards’ in Search|George Nguyen|August 11, 2020|Search Engine Land
Critically, a performer must embody the character and its brand, which means bottling the culture of a city and exhibiting it as an oft-dopey avatar in a poorly ventilated suit.
For Aspiring Performers, The NBA Is The Best Place To Be A Mascot|Josh Planos|July 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

Legend will not be appearing in person but as an avatar via the social VR platform Wave.
Virtual Reality Has Been Boosted by Coronavirus—Here’s How to Avoid It Leading Us to Dystopia|Alexandros Skandalis|June 24, 2020|Singularity Hub
Because I think Avatar is a really good blend of entertainment and substance.
James Cameron Dives into the Ocean's Abyss|Andrew Romano|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was a cooing and cherubic mini-avatar called Anima, which players earned after reaching a certain level in the game Prius.
‘Love Child’ Game Over: Internet Addicts Let Their Baby Starve to Death|Nina Strochlic|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You know, James Cameron: the director of The Terminator, True Lies, Titanic, and Avatar, among other obscure movies.
James Cameron Dives into the Ocean's Abyss|Andrew Romano|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I had no way of knowing—or even asking—if they had mistaken this monkey-faced avatar for me.
How I (Digitally) Killed My Twitter Impostor|JoBeth McDaniel|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The monkey avatar stared back at me, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.
How I (Digitally) Killed My Twitter Impostor|JoBeth McDaniel|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The former believe that the last avatar of Vishnu took place beneath its shade.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3|Various
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.
On Some Ancient Battle-Fields in Lancashire|Charles Hardwick
Christna-Avatar, the son of the virgin Devanaguy, one formed by God; 9.
The Browning Cyclopdia|Edward Berdoe
But some day it will reassert itself, for it is stronger than we, alike our overlord and avatar.
Atlantic Classics|Various
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.
Simon the Jester|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for avatar

avatar

/ (ˈævəˌtɑː) /

noun

Hinduism the manifestation of a deity, notably Vishnu, in human, superhuman, or animal form

a visible manifestation or embodiment of an abstract concept; archetype

a movable image that represents a person in a virtual reality environment or in cyberspace

Word Origin for avatar

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for avatar

avatar

[ (av-uh-tahr) ]

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

notes for avatar

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

avatar

Origin of avatar

Words nearby avatar

Words related to avatar

How to use avatar in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for avatar

Word Origin for avatar

Cultural definitions for avatar

notes for avatar