avatar

AV-ah-tar

ˈævətɑːr

Listen

Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.

Syllable breakdown

avatar

Dictionary meaning

In Hinduism, the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form; Vishnu has ten principal avatars including Rama and Krishna; now also used in computing to mean an online representation.

History and origin

Sanskrit — 'avatāra' meaning 'descent', from 'ava' (down) + 'tarati' (he crosses).

Examples

Vishnu's ten avatars include Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), and Krishna.

Common mispronunciations

ah-VAH-tarAV-ah-tar

Learn one new pronunciation a day

Get a word, name or idiom like “avatar” in your inbox — daily or weekly, free. Unsubscribe any time.

Something wrong? Suggest a correction