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avatar

Main Entry:: av·a·tar
Pronunciation:: \ˈa-və-ˌtär\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Sanskrit avatāraḥ descent, from avatarati he descends, from ava- away + tarati he crosses over — more at ukase, through
Date:: 1784

1: the incarnation of a Hindu deity (as Vishnu)2 a: an incarnation in human form b: an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person3: a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity4: an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user (as in a computer game)

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