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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

identity en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /aɪˈdɛntɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /aɪˈdɛn(t)ɪti/ (General-American)
  • [aɪˈdɛnəɾi] (General-American)
  • /aɪˈdɛn(t)əti/ (General-American)
  • /ɑɪˈdentəti/ (Australia)
  • (US) audio
  • (Australia) audio
  • [aɪˈdɛnɪɾi] (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English ydemptite, from Middle French identité and its etymon Late Latin idemptitās, identitās, from idem (“the same”) + -tās (suffix forming abstract nouns) as a calque of Ancient Greek ταὐτότης (tautótēs, “sameness”).

Meanings

  1. (countable, in technical usage, uncountable) Sameness, identicalness; the quality or fact of (several specified things) being the same.
    • But whenas a leſſer number of Agreements in each Paralleliſm (provided there were nothing contrary) could not but have been a ſtrong preſumption of the Identity of the Subjects of the Viſions in each Chapter, I mean, That the Two-horned Beaſt and the Whore are one, and the Seven-headed Beaſt in each Chapter the ſame; how fully aſſured muſt we needs be of theſe Identities, the Agreements of theſe two Paralleliſms (thoſe paſſages onely excepted of which I have given ſo fair an account) perfectly exhauſting the whole ſubſtance of each Chapter? 1664, H[enry] More, chapter X, in Synopsis Prophetica; or, The Second Part of the Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity: […], London: […] James Flesher, for William Morden […], →OCLC, book I, page 264:
    • Benjamin Franklin established the identity of electricity and lightning.
    • […] suggesting the two are different stages of the same species. The identity of the two species is further suggested by allozyme analysis […] 1997, “Hydrothermal Vent Fauna”, in Advances in Marine Biology: The Biogeography of the Oceans, page 111:
  2. (countable, uncountable) The difference or character that marks off an individual or collective from the rest of the same kind; selfhood; the sense of who something or someone or oneself is, or the recurring characteristics that enable the recognition of such an individual or group by others or themselves.
    • His own identity was fading out into a grey impalpable world: the solid world itself which these dead had one time reared and lived in was dissolving and dwindling. 1904–1907 (date written), James Joyce, “The Dead”, in Dubliners, London: Grant Richards, published June 1914, →OCLC, page 277:
    • I've been through so many changes, I have no sense of identity.
    • This nation has a strong identity.
    • On the other hand, ME /ɛu/ preserved its identity into the early Modern English period, and the early writers on orthography and pronunciation normally distinguish between lME /iu/ and lME /ɛu/, the latter of which occurs in words with eME /ɛː/ like dew (OE dēaw), few (OE fēawe), hew (OE hēawan), sew (eME ē < ĕ, OE seowian), shrew (OE scrēawa), etc. 2021 July 28, Fausto Cercignani, “On the alleged existence of a vowel /yː/ in early Modern English”, in English Language and Linguistics, volume 26, number 2, Cambridge University Press, →DOI, page 2:
  3. (countable, uncountable) A name or persona—a mask or appearance one presents to the world—by which one is known.
    • In this show, the competitor's identity will remain secret until after the vote.
    • This criminal has taken on several identities.
  4. (countable, uncountable) An equation which always holds true regardless of the choice of input variables.
    • The equation (x+y)(x−y) = x²−y² is an algebraic identity. It is true regardless of the values of x and y.
  5. (countable, uncountable) Any function which maps all elements of its domain to themselves.
  6. (countable, uncountable) An element of an algebraic structure which, when applied to another element under an operation in that structure, yields this second element.
    • Zero is the identity for the addition of real numbers.
  7. (Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable) A well-known or famous person.
    • The 79-year-old man who died days after he was struck by a car in Westport was a local identity who was well known for his walks around town. 2026 June 15, Chris Marriner, “‘The Coast was his home’: Local identity dies days after he was hit by a car”, in Stuff:
    • The body of a well known old identity named James Conroy […] was found in the water yesterday afternoon… 1887 July 19, “Drowned at Williamstown”, in The Age, Melbourne:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
identities Number=Plur lexicographic

Antonyms

nonidentity · nonidentity · differentness · distinguishedness · distinction · unidenticality · difference · differentiation · unidenticality · diversity

Coordinates

fungibility · similarity · equivalence · commensurateness · interchangeability · resemblance

Deriveds

identityless · identity restoration · nonidentity · identity provider · steal someone's identity · identity police · cisidentity · Capelli's identity · transidentity · identity matrix · identity crisis · identity theft · Jacobi identity · dissociative identity disorder · identity parade · de Moivre's identity · microidentity · Bézout's identity · gender identity disorder · Abel's identity · Pythagorean trigonometric identity · identity functor · Euler's identity · self-identity · identity card · cyberidentity · Abel-Jacobi-Liouville identity · trig identity · body integrity identity disorder · identicon · amputee identity disorder · bioidentity · subidentity · identity broker · gender identity syndrome · identity politician · identitarian · identity morphism · Weinstein-Aronszajn identity · identity politics · e-identity · identity policing · coidentity · misidentity · identity property · age identity · trigonometric identity · identicide · identity document · standard of identity · identity death · identity of indiscernibles · identicard · law of identity · cultural identity

Descendants

アイデンティティー

Hyponyms

mistaken identity · superidentity · quasiidentity · sexual identity · left identity · additive identity · Kaya identity · multiplicative identity · gender identity · right identity · personal identity · principal identity

Relateds

identical · identify · identitary · identification · identic

Synonyms

sameness · personhood · personality · selfdom · individuality · identicalness · sameliness · selfhood · identicalness · selfness · identity · identicality · beinghood · celebrity · ipseity · identity · individuality · uniformity · personality · sameness · identity function · identicality · personness · selfship

Translations (166)

bg тъждество́ (a mathematical equation that holds true irrespective of input elements.) · ba үҙаң (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ca identitat (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · bg една́квост (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · es identidad (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · vi cá tính (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · sq barazim (a mathematical equation that holds true irrespective of input elements.) · sh identìtēt (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · tl pagkakakilanlan (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ru ли́чность (name or persona) · ajp هويَّة (name or persona) · cmn 特性 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · cs totožnost (name or persona) · hu hovatartozás (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · pa پَچھاݨ (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cmn 個性 /个性 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · be то́еснасць (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · mk идентите́т (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fi identiteetti (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · gl identidade (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · kk даралық (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · es identidad (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · be тожса́масць (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · hu mibenlét (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · nn identitet (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cs totožnost (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ja 身元 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ka იდენტურობა (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · pt identidade (name or persona) · fi yksilöys (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ja 素性 (name or persona) · ko 정체성 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ar هُوِيَّة (name or persona) · de Gleichheit (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ro identitate (name or persona) · kk сипаты (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · nn identitet (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · bg индивидуа́лност (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · pl tożsamość (name or persona) · hu személyazonosság (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ba үҙаң (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · gl identidade (name or persona) · he זֶהוּת (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · af persoonlikheid (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · pl tożsamość (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · pa ਪਛਾਣ (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · el ταυτότητα (name or persona) · gd ionannachd (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · de Übereinstimmung (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ar مُطَابَقَة (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ga ionannas (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ja 同一性 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · gl identidade (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fr identité (name or persona) · vi tính đồng nhất (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · pl tożsamość (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ur پَہْچان (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · de Identität (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ko 아이덴티티 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · be тоеса́масць (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cmn 身分 (name or persona) · bg иденти́чност (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · da identitet (name or persona) · sk totožnosť (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · nb identitet (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fr identité (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fi identtisyys (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · sv identitet (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · it identità (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ru иденти́чность (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · nl identiteit (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · sh идентѝте̄т (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ru тожде́ственность (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cmn 身份 (name or persona) · be ідэнты́чнасць (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ka ვინაობა (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ja アイデンティティー (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · uk іденти́чність (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · lv tāpatība (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ru индивидуа́льность (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ro identitate (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · sq identitetit (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · da identitet (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · eu nortasuna (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · gd dearbh-aithne (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · el ταυτότητα (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cs identita (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · nb identitet (name or persona) · mt identità (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · af identiteit (name or persona) · cmn 個性 /个性 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · sl identiteta (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · hy ինքնություն (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · kk бейнесі (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · cmn 身分 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · de Nämlichkeit (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cmn 身份 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · sk identita (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ko 정체 (name or persona) · vi đặc tính (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · mi tuakiri (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fi yksilöllisyys (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · nl persoonlijkheid (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · hu azonosság (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · nl identiteit (name or persona) · cmn 身份 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ja 氏名 (name or persona) · da identitet (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · fi olemus (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ja アイデンティティ (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · bg самоли́чност (name or persona) · nn identitet (name or persona) · mi tuakiri (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fi yhtäläisyys (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · uk тото́жність (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · sv identitet (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · el ταυτότητα (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · de Identität (name or persona) · ja 主体性 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ru ли́чные да́нные (name or persona) · hu identitás (name or persona) · ko 동일(同一)함 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ar هُوِيَّة (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · kk реті (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fi samuus (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · mt identità (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · tl kasiyangaan (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ko 동일성 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · ru иденти́чность (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · nb identitet (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ja 同一 (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · bg тъжде́ственост (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · th เอกลักษณ์ (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · he פַּרְצוּף (name or persona) · de Identität (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · he זֶהוּת (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · pt identidade (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · tl pagkakakilanlan (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · hy նույնականություն (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · uk індивідуа́льність (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · af identiteit (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · es identidad (a mathematical equation that holds true irrespective of input elements.) · hu kilét (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · hu azonosság (a mathematical equation that holds true irrespective of input elements.) · mi tūmau (a mathematical equation that holds true irrespective of input elements.) · ajp هويَّة (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · cmn 身分 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fa-ira هُوِیَت (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · th เอกลักษณ์ (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · hu személyiség (name or persona) · pt identidade (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · tr hüviyyet (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fa-ira هُوِیَت (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · cmn 同一性 (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fr identité (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fi henkilöllisyys (name or persona) · tl kasiyangaan (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · uk особи́стість (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · az kimlik (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · fi identiteetti (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · cs totožnost (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · ru ли́чность (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · hu önazonosság (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest) · cs identita (name or persona) · cs identita (the sameness some individuals share to make up the same kind or universal) · lv identitāte (the difference or character that marks off an individual or group from the rest)