identity

American  

[ahy-den-ti-tee, ih-den-] / aɪˈdɛn tɪ ti, ɪˈdɛn- /

noun

plural

identities

1. the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions.

   The identity of the fingerprints on the gun with those on file provided evidence that he was the killer.

2. the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another.

   He began to doubt his own identity.

3. condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is; the qualities, beliefs, etc., that distinguish or identify a person or thing.

   a case of mistaken identity;

   a male gender identity;

   immigrants with strong ethnic identities.

4. the state or fact of being the same one as described.

5. the sense of self, providing sameness and continuity in personality over time and sometimes disturbed in mental illnesses, as schizophrenia.

   Synonyms:

   uniqueness, distinctiveness, personality, individuality

6. exact likeness in nature or qualities.

   an identity of interests.

7. an instance or point of sameness or likeness.

   to mistake resemblances for identities.

8. Logic. an assertion that two terms refer to the same thing.

9. Mathematics.

   1. an equation that is valid for all values of its variables.

   2. Also called unit element,.  Also called unity.  Also called identity element,.  an element in a set such that the element operating on any other element of the set leaves the second element unchanged.

   3. the property of a function or map such that each element is mapped into itself.

   4. the function or map itself.

10. Australian Informal. an interesting, famous, or eccentric resident, usually of long standing in a community.

---

identity British  

/ aɪˈdɛntɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing

2. the individual characteristics by which a person or thing is recognized

3. Also called: numerical identity.  the property of being one and the same individual

   his loss of memory did not affect his identity

4. Also called: qualitative identity.  the state of being the same in nature, quality, etc

   they were linked by the identity of their tastes

5. the state of being the same as a person or thing described or claimed

   the identity of the stolen goods has not yet been established

6. identification of oneself as

   moving to London destroyed his Welsh identity

7. logic

   1. that relation that holds only between any entity and itself

   2. an assertion that that relation holds, as Cicero is Tully

8. maths

   1. an equation that is valid for all values of its variables, as in ( x – y )( x + y ) = x ² – y ². Often denoted by the symbol ≡

   2. Also called: identity element.  a member of a set that when operating on another member, x, produces that member x: the identity for multiplication of numbers is 1 since x .1 = 1. x = x See also inverse

9. informal a well-known person, esp in a specified locality; figure (esp in the phrase an old identity )

---

Usage

What is identity? Identity is the unique set of characteristics that can be used to identify a person as themself and no one else. The word can be used in different ways in different contexts. On a personal level, identity often refers to a person’s sense of self, meaning how they view themself as compared to other people. Practically speaking, a person’s identity is who they really are. A detective may try to determine the identity of a suspect—meaning who that person is (including things like their real name). A case of mistaken identity involves someone being mistaken for someone they are not. Superheroes often have secret identities. The concept of identity is complex and can involve all kinds of characteristics, qualities, experiences, interests, and other aspects of a person that make them distinct from anyone else. In the term identity politics, identity refers to the cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, social, or other facets that a person considers as inherent to who they are, especially in relation to their belonging in a particular group or community of similar people. Identity can involve physical traits, such as eye color or height, but it doesn’t necessarily involve such things. For example, the crime of identity theft usually involves stealing someone’s personal information, not their physical appearance (except in the movie Face/Off). Example: The journalist refused to reveal the identity of her source. Example: Being a Black bisexual woman is a huge and important part of my identity, but it’s not my whole identity: I’m a coder; I’m a Knicks fan; I love dogs—my identity can’t be easily defined with a few words.

Other Word Forms

• nonidentity noun

Etymology

Origin of identity

First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin identitās, equivalent to Latin ident(idem) “repeatedly, again and again,” earlier unattested idem et idem ( idem neuter of īdem “the same” + et “and”) + -itās noun suffix; -ity

Explanation

Your identity is what makes you "you." If you are having "an identity crisis," then I guess you can't figure out who you are. Good luck with that. The noun identity can also refer to a name or persona. Criminals tend to use false identities so they won't get caught. If you falsely identify someone, it is a case of "mistaken identity." The word identity doesn't have to be used for a single person either. People refer to "corporate identity" when talking about what makes a company unique.

Example Sentences

Though he recorded the podcast interview under the moniker “Discord Dan,” the podcasters decided to reveal his identity in light of recent events.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

“I’m not going to give advice to any European countries, but in terms of civic education, national identity and national unity, there is probably nothing better than compulsory military service,” Stubb said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Five people have confirmed Mike's identity to the BBC and he is referenced in internal police documents.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Alice Oseman’s fictional world, where LGBTQ+ teenagers freely explore love, friendship and identity, expanded first to graphic novels before being turned into a hugely popular Netflix series.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Mr. Boston—whose true identity Ellsberg has never revealed—was long gone.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• character
• existence
• identification
• integrity
• name
• personality
• status