in theology, signifies the act whereby the Son of God assumed the human nature; or the mystery by which Jesus Christ, the eternal word, was made man, in order to accomplish the work of our salvation. The era used among Christians, whence they number their years, is the time of the incarnation, that is, of Christ's conception in the virgin's womb.

This era was first established by Dionysius Exiguus, about the beginning of the fifth century, till which time the era of Diocletian had been in use.

Some time after this, it was considered, that the years of a man's life were not numbered from the time of his conception, but from that of his birth: which occasioned them to postpone the beginning of this era for the space of one year, retaining the cycle of Dionysius entire in every thing else.

At Rome they reckon their years from the incarnation or birth of Christ, that is, from the 25th of December, which custom has obtained from the year 1431. In France, and several other countries, they also reckon from the incarnation: but then they differ from each other in the day of the incarnation, fixing it, after the primitive manner, not to the day of the birth, but conception of our Saviour. Though the Florentines retain the day of the birth, and begin their year from Christmas.

(formed from in, and caro 'flesh'), in surgery, signifies the healing and filling up of ulcers and wounds with new flesh. See Surgery.