a new personification of a familiar idea
"the embodiment of hope"
"the incarnation of evil"
"the very avatar of cunning"
the manifestation of a Hindu deity (especially Vishnu) in human or superhuman or animal form
"some Hindus consider Krishna to be an avatar of the god Vishnu"
the incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu.
"In Hindu mythology, Rama is celebrated as an avatar of Lord Vishnu who descended to earth to restore dharma."
In plain English: An avatar is your digital representation of yourself in an online game or virtual world.
"In the online game, players create an avatar to represent themselves."
Usage: In modern everyday usage, an avatar refers to a digital representation of a user within a video game or online community. Use this term when describing a customizable character or profile picture that represents someone in a virtual environment, not when discussing religious deities.
The word "avatar" entered English around 1784 from the Hindustani language, where it originally described a deity descending from heaven. It was borrowed from the Sanskrit compound meaning "descent," which combines elements for "down" and "to cross."