incarnation

American  

[in-kahr-ney-shuhn] / ˌɪn kɑrˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an incarnate being or form.

2. a living being embodying a deity or spirit.

3. assumption of human form or nature.

4. (sometimes lowercase) the Incarnation, the doctrine that the second person of the Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus Christ and is completely both God and man.

5. a person or thing regarded as embodying or exhibiting some quality, idea, or the like.

   The leading dancer is the incarnation of grace.

6. the act of incarnating.

7. state of being incarnated.

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Incarnation ¹ British  

/ ˌɪnkɑːˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. Christian theol the assuming of a human body by the Son of God

2. Christianity the presence of God on Earth in the person of Jesus

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incarnation ² British  

/ ˌɪnkɑːˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of manifesting or state of being manifested in bodily form, esp human form

2. a bodily form assumed by a god, etc

3. a person or thing that typifies or represents some quality, idea, etc

   the weasel is the incarnation of ferocity

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Incarnation Cultural  

1. The Christian belief that the Son, the second person of the Trinity, was incarnated, or made flesh, in the person of Jesus, in order to save the world from original sin (see also original sin).

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Other Word Forms

• incarnational adjective
• postincarnation adjective

Etymology

Origin of incarnation

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English incarnacion, from Late Latin incarnātiōn-, stem of incarnātiō; equivalent to incarnate + -ion

Example Sentences

The show marks the first British incarnation of the sketch series, which was created by Lorne Michaels and first launched in the US in 1975.

From BBC

All hail the WBC, 20 years old and all grown up, its sixth incarnation stealing the stage in a sweet spot during NBA doldrums and before March Madness.

From Los Angeles Times

It was the vaquero who developed the initial incarnations of the so-called Western saddle, with its distinctive “horn,” used both as a grip and for securing ropes.

From Los Angeles Times

Lawrence, who serves as executive producer on the new incarnation, can also see a parallel between his path and that of his fictional creations.

From Los Angeles Times

Pheu Thai, the latest incarnation of the organisation founded by telecom billionaire Thaksin, came a distant third in Sunday's vote, according to preliminary election commission figures.

From Barron's