AVD is an acronym that stands for "Android Virtual Device," a software emulation of an Android device. Some synonyms for AVD include emulator, virtual machine, and software simulator. An emulator is a program that imitates the functions of one system on another system, while a virtual machine creates a digital environment that behaves like a physical machine. A software simulator is a program that is designed to behave like a physical device or process. These synonyms are used interchangeably when referring to AVD because they describe the same concept of a software-based device that can run Android apps.