identification

American  

[ahy-den-tuh-fi-key-shuhn, ih-den-] / aɪˌdɛn tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən, ɪˌdɛn- /

noun

1. an act or instance of identifying; the state of being identified.

   Synonyms:

   affiliation, connection, association

2. something that identifies a person, animal, or thing.

   He carries identification with him at all times.

3. Sociology. acceptance as one's own of the values and interests of a social group.

4. Psychology.

   1. a process by which one ascribes to oneself the qualities or characteristics of another person.

   2. (in psychoanalytic theory) the transference or reaction to one person with the feelings or responses relevant to another, as the identification of a teacher with a parent.

   3. perception of another as an extension of oneself.

---

identification British  

/ aɪˌdɛntɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of identifying or the state of being identified

2. 1. something that identifies a person or thing

   2. ( as modifier )

      an identification card

3. psychol

   1. the process of recognizing specific objects as the result of remembering

   2. the process by which one incorporates aspects of another person's personality See also empathy

   3. the transferring of a response from one situation to another because the two bear similar features See also generalization

---

Other Word Forms

• nonidentification noun
• overidentification noun
• preidentification noun
• reidentification noun

Etymology

Origin of identification

First recorded in 1635–45; identi(fy) + -fication

Explanation

Identification is what you show when someone wants proof of who you are. When you get pulled over by a cop for speeding, you better have your driver’s license on you as your form of identification! Identification isn’t just the card or passport you carry around in your wallet to prove who you are to others. You can also have an identification with a person if you share common beliefs, traditions, or values; then you can say that you identify with that person. Identification can also mean the process of recognizing or identifying something. You may have to wait to adopt that stray dog until the pound has put the pooch through an identification process, trying to see if he already belongs to another family.

Example Sentences

Hybrid systems that combine detection, identification and neutralization into integrated platforms are where the premium contracts are being signed.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

One Iranian resident said he was detained by police after an officer stopped and asked for his identification as he wandered on the beach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

They evaluated how each substance affected the diseased nerve cells, leading to the identification of sildenafil as a promising candidate.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

California law requires county officials to keep election materials — including ballots and voter identification envelopes — for 22 months for elections involving a federal office and for six months for all other contests.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

The man told Cullen that he didn't have any papers of identification or a fishing permit.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Related Words

• description
• passport
• recognition
• testimony