identical
Americanadjective
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Also called: numerically identical. being one and the same individual
Cicero and Tully are identical
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Also called: quantitatively identical. exactly alike, equal, or agreeing
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designating either or both of a pair of twins of the same sex who developed from a single fertilized ovum that split into two Compare fraternal
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of identical
First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin identic(us) identic + -al 1
Compare meaning
How does identical compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you're looking for exact replicas, don't waste your time on snowflakes or fingerprints; no two are identical, or exactly the same. Great mind may think alike, but they'll never be identical. Twins, on the other hand, very well may be — if they've come from the same split embryo that is. It makes sense then, that the word identical has linguistic roots in the Latin word idem, meaning "the same."
Vocabulary lists containing identical
Measurement and Data, List 1
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List 3
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Measurement and Data
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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.
Keen-eyed fashion historians noticed that the late British singer and actor Jane Birkin caused a stir by wearing an almost identical dress to a Paris gala in 1969 with her then-partner Serge Gainsbourg.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
When compared side by side, the phones are virtually identical in display, platform software, and storage capacity, with the main difference being selfie camera quality.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
"Being identical twins has caused lots of confusion over the years," said Lee.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
The viruses shared nearly identical RNA cloverleaf structures and binding behavior.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
About thirty feet down, the tunnel split into four smaller arteries, each one identical, but the one on the left radiated cold.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
