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Avatar

अवतार
AV-uh-tar

Bodily descent or incarnation of a deity in Hindu thought.

Appears as an answer in MG Mini #1051.

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Meaning & usage

In Hindu mythology, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity into the physical world — most often Vishnu, who has ten classical avatars including Rama and Krishna. The word literally means "descent". English borrowed the term twice: once in the religious sense, once in the digital sense (the graphical stand-in for a user). The second meaning was popularised by 1990s online communities and 2009's eponymous film.

In a sentence

Krishna is considered the eighth avatar of Vishnu.

Common spelling variants

  • Avtar

Avatar is the English spelling used in MG Mini #1051.

As seen in crosswords

Avatar is a 6-letter answer. A typical clue:

“Bodily descent or incarnation of a deity in Hindu thought” (6)

Play the crossword that uses it — MG Mini #1051

Category: Concept Origin: Sanskrit Script: Hindi

Related words

  • Bhakti — Loving devotion to a personal god — a major strand of Hindu religious practice.
  • Vaada — A promise or agreement.
  • Karma — Action and its moral consequence — a foundational concept in Indian religions.
  • Nirvana — Liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth in Buddhist and Hindu thought.
  • Dharma — Moral and natural law — duty, righteousness, and the right way to live.
  • Bahu — Daughter-in-law in Indian families.

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