identity

/ai'dentiti/
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identity

A student shows her student identity card to enter the library.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The fact of being who or what a person or thing is: The set of characteristics that make an individual or group unique and distinguishable.
    • The condition of being the same as something else: The state of being exactly alike or identical; sameness.
    • (Mathematics) An equation that is true for all values of its variables: A statement of equality that holds for all permissible values of the unknowns.
Usage
  • Identity is used to describe the core, distinguishing features of a person, group, or object. It answers the question "Who or what is this?"
  • It is a fundamental concept in social sciences, psychology, and philosophy.
  • In mathematics, it denotes an equality that is universally true.
Examples
  • Personal/Individual Identity:
    • She is exploring her cultural identity.
    • The witness could not confirm the suspect's identity.
  • Sameness:
    • The identity of their opinions was surprising.
  • Mathematics:
    • The trigonometric identity sin²θ + cos²θ = 1 is fundamental.
Advanced Usage
  • Identity Crisis: A period of uncertainty and confusion about one's sense of self.
    • The character in the novel experiences a profound identity crisis.
  • Identity Theft: The fraudulent acquisition and use of a person's private identifying information.
    • He was a victim of identity theft.
Variants and Related Words
  • Identify (verb): To establish or indicate who or what someone or something is.
    • Can you identify the person in this photograph?
  • Identification (noun): The action or process of identifying someone or something.
    • You will need two forms of identification.
  • Identical (adjective): Similar in every detail; exactly alike.
    • The twins are identical.
Synonyms
  • Individuality: The quality or character that distinguishes one person or thing from others.
  • Personality: The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.
  • Sameness: The quality of being the same; identity or similarity.
Related Phrases
  • Sense of identity: A person's understanding and feeling of who they are.
    • Moving to a new country can affect one's sense of identity.
  • Identity card (ID card): A card carrying personal details and a photograph, used to prove a person's identity.
    • Please present your identity card at the entrance.
Idioms
  • To have an identity of its own: To possess unique and distinctive qualities.
    • The old neighborhood still has an identity of its own despite the new developments.
identity

A student shows her student identity card to enter the library.

Noun
  1. exact sameness
    • they shared an identity of interests
  2. an operator that leaves unchanged the element on which it operates
    • the identity under numerical multiplication is 1
  3. the individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known
    • geneticists only recently discovered the identity of the gene that causes it
    • it was too dark to determine his identity
    • she guessed the identity of his lover
  4. the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity
    • you can lose your identity when you join the army