plural incarnations
1
: one of a series of lives that a person is believed to have had in the past in some religions
He claims that he was a Greek soldier in a previous incarnation. [=in a previous life; when he lived in the past as a different person]
—often used figurativelyIn an earlier incarnation [=an earlier phase of her life] she was a rock musician.
The TV and movie incarnations [=versions] of the story differ significantly.
The software's latest incarnation [=version] includes many new features.
2
: a person who represents a quality or idea
She is the incarnation [=embodiment] of goodness. [=she is a very good person]
3
in the Christian religion
: the belief in Jesus Christ as both God and a human being
the doctrine of the Incarnation
Cite this Entry
“Incarnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/incarnation. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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