incarnation

noun

in·​car·​na·​tion ˌin-(ˌ)kär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce incarnation (audio)
1
: the act of incarnating : the state of being incarnate
2
: a particular physical form or state : version
in another incarnation he might be a first vice-presidentWalter Teller
TV and movie incarnations of the story
3
a
: a concrete or actual form of a quality or concept
especially : a person showing a trait or typical character to a marked degree
she is the incarnation of goodness
b(1)
capitalized : the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ
(2)
: the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form
incarnational adjective

Examples of incarnation in a Sentence

the doctrine of the Incarnation she is the very incarnation of grace and tactfulness
Recent Examples on the Web With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has loses hope until Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young airbender, reawakens to take his rightful place. Selome Hailu, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 The latest incarnation added requirements to include a stormwater feature, mulch around plants and permeable hardscapes, as well as other changes. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1965) And the shoe fits: Lesley Ann Warren Admittedly, the 1965 version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, starring Lesley Ann Warren, does not benefit from comparisons to the original 1957 adaptation or the later 1997 incarnation. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 After all, a book party exists to celebrate you, not you and a romantic partner or you and a child or you in any of your other relational incarnations. Emma Specter, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2024 The restaurant chain, which had a location in downtown Naperville for almost two decades before closing in 2020, has launched a second incarnation at 2835 Showplace Drive in Naperville Crossings. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024 Note: In the Naked and Famous’ original incarnation, the smoky mezcal and lime juice can be overpowering. Jeff Burkhart, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 Downtown offers numerous overnight options including a new-style Marriott Residence Inn in the Beltline neighborhood, a place that feels and acts much more like an upscale urban boutique hotel than its older incarnation. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incarnation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b(2)

Time Traveler
The first known use of incarnation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near incarnation

Cite this Entry

“Incarnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarnation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

incarnation

noun
in·​car·​na·​tion ˌin-ˌkär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce incarnation (audio)
1
: the appearance of a god or spirit in an earthly form
2
capitalized : the union of divine and human natures in Jesus Christ
3
: an actual instance of a quality or concept
she was the incarnation of goodness

More from Merriam-Webster on incarnation

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