identical twin

noun

1. one of a pair of twins who develop from a single fertilized ovum and therefore have the same genotype, are of the same sex, and usually resemble each other closely.

Word History and Origins

Origin of identical twin¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

In reality they were precisely the same size and always had been; they were the sort of perfectly identical twins whose own parents struggled to tell them apart.

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It might be granted that a reactionary is not a conservative’s identical twin — but he is a sibling living under the same roof.

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The restaurant initially mistook Paul for his identical twin "coming back for seconds" and denied him any food.

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She said the room included her identical twin sister who was one of several Writers Guild Canada writers enlisted to work on the show.

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She has come to visit her identical twin sister Jane, who was 66 when she was the last of Bird's victims.

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Related Words

• Siamese twin 
• fraternal twin