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View synonyms for

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

/ ˈæəˌɑː /

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
“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

avatar

  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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Notes

By extension, an “avatar” is any new embodiment of an old idea.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of avatar1

First recorded in 1775–85; from Sanskrit “a passing down, descent,” from ava “down” + - “a passing over” (akin to Latin ٰԲ “across, beyond, through”; through ( def ) )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of avatar1

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

Examples have not been reviewed.

The AI videos on social media show animated child avatars telling the story of James's murder, in the first person.

From

She obliges his request and turns back to a human avatar before adding, “I’m feeling a bit chilly without my fur coat!”

From

It was game-as-tutorial “Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour,” in which we control a tiny human avatar who appears to live in a giant Switch 2.

From

Altman shared his anime cricketer avatar on X on Thursday, sending Indian social media users into a tizzy.

From

Even when Didion moved away from film reviews to become one of the preeminent essayists of her generation, she clung to Wayne as an avatar.

From

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