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A.Word.A.Day--avatar avatar (AV-uh-tahr) noun 1. A manifestation of a deity in Hinduism. 2. An embodiment of a concept. 3. A representation of a person or thing in computers, networks, etc. [From avatar (descent, as of a god from heaven to the earth), from ava- (away) + tarati (he crosses).] "Nearly forgotten today, Downing was a national avatar of taste, a sort of cross between Martha Stewart and Frank O. Gehry and was the likely choice ..." Kevin Baker; The Daily, Death-Defying Commute; The New York Times; Oct 18, 2003. "The idea was to demonstrate the levels of service on Alaska Airlines by contrasting them with an avatar of how not to run an airline." Airline Fires Back at Low-cost Rivals; International Herald Tribune (France); Oct 19, 2003. This week's theme: words derived from Sanskrit. X-Bonus If we make peaceful revolution impossible, we make violent revolution inevitable. -John F. Kennedy, 35th US president (1917-1963)

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