1. According to Christian belief, Jesus Christ's act of partly giving up his divine status in order to become a man, as recorded in the Bible (Philippians 2:6-7).

In Christian theology, kenosis is the concept of the "self-emptying" of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God and His perfect will. It is used both as an explanation of the incarnation and an indication of the nature of God's activity and condescension.

The doctrine of kenosis attempts to explain what the Son of God chose to give up in terms of His divine attributes, or divinity, in order to assume human nature.

Since Jesus is simultaneously fully human and fully divine, kenosis explains that these changes were temporarily presented by God in His incarnation, and that when Jesus ascended back into heaven following His resurrection, He regained all of His original divinity.

2. Etymology: from Greek kenōsis, "an emptying"; from heauton ekenōse, "emptied himself".