ID card

American

noun

identification card.

ID card British

noun

a card or document that serves to identify a person, or to prove his age, membership, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ID card

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He had a fake ID card saying he was an MI5 "STRAP officer".

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

The BBC said in a statement that an unnamed journalist "has been unable to leave Vietnam for several months as the authorities have withheld their ID card and their renewed passport".

From Barron's • Oct. 29, 2025

The agents let him go only after Gavidia provided his ID card, which they did not give back.

From Slate • Sep. 10, 2025

The requirement that travelers present a Real ID card as well as regular identifications is one of the biggest changes to airport security, but officials said Tuesday that the rollout will be gradual.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2025

I want some gay ID card to whip out like a cop badge.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023