self-identification

American  

[self-ahy-den-tuh-fi-key-shuhn, -i-den-, self-] / ˈsɛlf aɪˌdɛn tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən, -ɪˌdɛn-, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. identification of oneself with some other person or thing.

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Etymology

Origin of self-identification

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

An alleged victim’s self-identification as such, Mr. Clayton told the judges, is all that is required for the department to conceal records on her behalf or remove records entirely.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

But the profound cultural shift regarding public and private spheres is, at its core, about self-identification.

From Slate • Sep. 10, 2025

"With hindsight, I wish I had," she writes, although she continues to argue in favour of the general principle of gender self-identification.

From BBC • Aug. 11, 2025

The Crumbs moved often, which only heightened Robert’s self-identification as a misfit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

Incipient political identity, as any other kind of human self-identification, is foremostly natural: the strongest, the swiftest, those with the most acute senses are acknowledged as leaders.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai