embodiment

/ɛmˈbɑdimɪnt/

/ɛmˈbɒdimɪnt/

Other forms: embodiments

The embodiment of something gives concrete form to an abstract idea. A flag is the embodiment of a country.

When you talk about embodiment, you're talking about giving a form to ideas that are usually not physical: like love, hate, fear, justice, etc. A gavel is the embodiment of justice; a wedding ring can be the embodiment of love. The word body in embodiment is a clue to its meaning: this is a word for giving a body to things that usually don't have one.

Definitions of embodiment

1. noun

   a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept
   “a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life”

   synonyms: shape

   type of:

   concrete representation, concretism

   a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms
2. noun

   giving concrete form to an abstract concept
   types:

   soul

   the human embodiment of something

   incarnation, personification

   the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.

   type of:

   objectification

   the act of representing an abstraction as a physical thing
3. noun

   a new personification of a familiar idea
   “the embodiment of hope”

   synonyms: avatar, incarnation

   types:

   deification

   an embodiment of the qualities of a god

   reincarnation

   embodiment in a new form (especially the reappearance or a person in another form)

   type of:

   personification

   a person who represents an abstract quality