incarnation

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌɪnkɑrˈneɪʃən/ UK /ˌɪnkɑːˈneɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a living embodiment of a deity, spirit, or quality in bodily form

To his followers he seemed the very incarnation of patience and wisdom.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a living embodiment of a... embodiment personification manifestation epitomeavatar

Word family

Related forms incarnate carnalreincarnation

Simplified etymology

Incarnation, recorded in Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin caro, carn-, meaning “flesh.” Its literal underlying sense is “into flesh.”

Etymology

From Old French incarnacion, from Late Latin incarnatio ('act of being made flesh'), from incarnare ('to make flesh'), from in- ('in') + caro, carnis ('flesh').

incarnatio Late Latin caro Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# incarnation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪnkɑrˈneɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪnkɑːˈneɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. a living embodiment of a deity, spirit, or quality in bodily form

## Examples
- To his followers he seemed the very incarnation of patience and wisdom.

## Synonyms
- embodiment
- personification
- manifestation
- epitome
- avatar

## Related Forms
- incarnate
- carnal
- reincarnation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: incarnatio
- Root: caro

## Etymology
From Old French incarnacion, from Late Latin incarnatio ('act of being made flesh'), from incarnare ('to make flesh'), from in- ('in') + caro, carnis ('flesh').

## AI Etymology
Incarnation comes from Old French incarnacion, from Late Latin incarnatio ('act of being made flesh'), from incarnare ('to make flesh'), from in- ('in') + caro, carnis ('flesh'). The etymological trail includes Late Latin incarnatio and Latin caro. As a noun, incarnation means a living embodiment of a deity, spirit, or quality in bodily form. The same family is visible in related forms such as incarnate, carnal, and reincarnation. Morphologically, the word is built from the elements named in its history, so the modern form preserves a visible compound, prefix, or suffix structure.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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