What does Avatar mean exactly?

[Strapping Young Lad]

First time i hear this word here on UM, i registered yesterday. Can someone please explain?

 

[Taliesin]

Avatar means the picture you chose to kinda represent yourself.
But it can also be a player in a computer game, Role Playing Games mostly.

 

[Lord K]

OR, it can be pictures of your ACTUAL self. *hence the avatar*

 

[=7thDaughterOfA7thSon=]

I dont know

 

[Voice of God]

Originally avatar means the physical form of a divine being.... or something like that, not 100% sure. Something to do with gods anyway.

Edit: started to bug me, so I did some surfing:

Main Entry: av·a·tar
Pronunciation: 'a-v&-"tär
Function: noun
Etymology: Sanskrit avatAra 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 person
3 : a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity

 

[parimal2k29]

Yup, Voice Of God is right there. Many hindu gods have reincarnated as other beings. For example, Vishu has reincarnated as Krishna or Ram, and that's the avataar. Here, it's the little image below your screen name and text

 

[xenophobe]

Yeah, voice of god is right there... That's the original meaning... not what an avatar on the computer is...

An avatar in this case would mean a visual representation, like a picture, drawing, or symbol.

 

[warcorpse]

'Avatar' was also Savatage's name before they were Savatage.