avatar

noun

av·​a·​tar ˈa-və-ˌtär How to pronounce avatar (audio)
plural avatars
1
: an electronic image (as in a video game) that represents and may be manipulated by a computer user
The average Fortnite player spends hundreds of hours in the game with a personal avatar, fighting with and interacting with the avatars of other players.Brian X. Chen
compare non-player character, npc
2
: the incarnation of a Hindu deity (such as Vishnu)
3
a
: an incarnation in human form
b
: an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person
… his series hero is about as pure an avatar of freedom as you will find in modern fiction …Sam Leith
4
: a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity
the latest avatar of the conservative movement

Did you know?

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. These are just some of the elements and environments that video game avatars—the images representing and controlled by players—have faced since the days of Space Invaders, to say nothing of today's Pandora’s box of assorted baddies. Avatar comes from the Sanskrit word avatāraḥ, meaning “descent.” When avatar 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 the embodiment of a concept or philosophy), whether or not in the form of a person. All of these senses of avatar are still in use today, joined by the more recent computing/gaming sense, which may refer to “you” embodied as a mustachioed Italian plumber, for example, even if you are not, in fact, a mustachioed Italian plumber.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, visitors are warned against sharing personal details and are required to acknowledge that their interactions with the avatar were at their own risk. Brian Cheng, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024 Of course, the avatars look and sound fantastic – and naturally, their conversational abilities make last-gen models like Siri and Alexa feel like black and white TVs. New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024 To many of the young men who flocked to Trump in record numbers, Musk was an ideal avatar. Simon Shuster, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024 The other big new features for Pocket Camp Complete are in-game Camper Cards that players can customize with their avatars and favorite in-game animals. Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for avatar 

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit avatāraḥ descent, from avatarati he descends, from ava- away + tarati he crosses over — more at ukase, through entry 1

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of avatar was in 1784

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Cite this Entry

“Avatar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avatar. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

avatar

noun
av·​a·​tar
ˈa-və-ˌtär
1
: someone who represents a type of person, an idea, or a quality
2
: an electronic image that represents and may be manipulated by a computer user (as in a game)

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