incarnate

Incarnate is an adjective meaning embodied in bodily form; it can also be a verb, to incarnate, meaning to take on flesh and become embodied. The related noun incarnation refers to the act or instance of becoming incarnate, or to a being or thing that is an embodiment.

Etymology: from Latin incarnatus, the past participle of incarnari, from in- "in" + caro "flesh."

In theology, incarnation refers to a divine or sacred being taking human form. In Christianity, the Incarnation is the doctrine that the Son of God became human as Jesus Christ. In Hinduism, avatars are considered incarnations of deities in earthly form; other traditions describe divine beings appearing in human or animal bodies.

In secular or literary use, incarnate is used metaphorically to describe a quality expressed in concrete form, such as "an incarnate villain" or "the incarnate ideal."

Differences among terms: incarnation is the process or event (a noun); incarnate is the adjective describing embodiment, or the verb form "to incarnate."