avatar

noun

av·a·tar | \ ˈa-və-ˌtär

Definition of avatar

1 : the incarnation of a Hindu deity (such as Vishnu)

2a : an incarnation in human form

b : an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person She was regarded as an avatar of charity and concern for the poor.

3 : a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity the latest avatar of the conservative movement

4 : an electronic image that represents and may be manipulated by a computer user (as in a game)

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about avatar

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Did You Know?

Avatar derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "descent," and when it first appeared in English in the late 18th century, it referred to the descent of a deity to the earth—typically, the incarnation in earthly form of Vishnu or another Hindu deity. It later came to refer to any incarnation in human form, and then to any embodiment (such as that of a concept or philosophy), whether or not in the form of a person. In the age of technology, avatar has developed another sense—it can now be used for the image that a person chooses as his or her "embodiment" in an electronic medium.

Examples of avatar in a Sentence

She has come to be regarded as an avatar of charity and concern for the poor. She chose a penguin as her personal avatar in the chat room.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the height of his popularity, Henry Fonda was a beloved Hollywood avatar of plainspoken decency and dignity. — Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, "Appreciation: The Peter Fonda role we should be talking about isn’t ‘Easy Rider,’ but ‘Ulee’s Gold’," 18 Aug. 2019 At the height of his popularity, Henry Fonda was a beloved Hollywood avatar of plainspoken decency and dignity. — Los Angeles Times, "Appreciation: ‘Easy Rider’ made Peter Fonda an icon. ‘Ulee’s Gold’ made him an actor to remember," 17 Aug. 2019 Schur’s scripts can be philosophically dense, but Bell is the perfect avatar for his ideas, all sunshine, puppy dogs, and bloodthirsty malice. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "The Good Place," 20 Nov. 2018 Lift is a perfect avatar for the sort of iniquity that’s most highly rewarded in Silicon Valley and in capitalist circles well beyond the gates of Menlo Park, Cupertino, and Mountain View. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "Sorry to Bother You Has an Eerily Familiar Villain," 10 July 2018 And despite his absence on social media, the internet has quickly adopted the lovable Canadian as an avatar for average folks and, of course, meme fodder. — Scottie Andrew And Chelsea J. Carter, CNN, "Keanu Reeves most excellent surprise for one fan is 'breathtaking' and once again gifts the internet," 20 July 2019 The twist this time around is that the grandfathers (played by Danny DeVito and Danny Glover) of two original players get transported into the game as Johnson and Hart's avatars. — Rebecca Rubin, chicagotribune.com, "'Jumanji: The Next Level’ drops first trailer," 1 July 2019 Over the past one year, Ahsan has been approached by several families and developers with ancestral properties who are excited at the possibility of retaining a piece of personal and public history, in a financially sound, sustainable avatar. — Chandrima Pal, Quartz India, "How a group of investors are preserving Kolkata’s architectural legacy," 12 June 2019 The blocks could only move up, down, left, or right, and only if your avatar was able to push them in that direction. — Michael Moore, The Verge, "Resynth turns making music into a puzzle game," 11 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avatar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for avatar

avatar

noun

English Language Learners Definition of avatar

Hinduism : the human or animal form of a Hindu god on earth

formal : someone who represents a type of person, an idea, or a quality

computers : a small picture that represents a computer user in a game, on the Internet, etc.

See the full definition for avatar in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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avatar

Definition of avatar

Synonyms for avatar

Did You Know?

Examples of avatar in a Sentence

First Known Use of avatar

History and Etymology for avatar

English Language Learners Definition of avatar

avatar

Definition of avatar

Synonyms for avatar

Did You Know?

Examples of avatar in a Sentence

First Known Use of avatar

History and Etymology for avatar

English Language Learners Definition of avatar

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