identical

[ahy-den-ti-kuhl, ih-den-]

adjective

1. similar or alike in every way.

   The two cars are identical except for their license plates.

2. being the very same; selfsame.

   This is the identical room we stayed in last year.

3. agreeing exactly.

   identical opinions.

   Synonyms: equal, congruent, congruous

identical

/ aɪˈdɛntɪkəl /

adjective

1. Also called: numerically identical. being one and the same individual

   Cicero and Tully are identical

2. Also called: quantitatively identical. exactly alike, equal, or agreeing

3. 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

• identically adverb
• identicalness noun
• nonidentical adjective
• pseudoidentical adjective
• quasi-identical adjective
• quasi-identically adverb
• unidentical adjective
• unidentically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of identical¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin identic(us) identic + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of identical¹

C17: from Medieval Latin identicus , from Latin idem the same

Example Sentences

Sweeney’s observations about this duality, as seen through O’Brien’s characters, dilute the romanticized notion that having an identical double shields a person from isolation.

From Los Angeles Times

They contend that Midjourney-enabled creations are almost identical to their original copyrighted cartoons.

From Los Angeles Times

Not only is that wall of weights always precisely arranged, but every lightning bolt is arched in an identical way.

From Los Angeles Times

Metropolitan Police detectives investigating Zou's offences initially questioned whether the two women might be the same person, because the two attacks sounded identical and happened in such a short space of time.

From BBC

The rules say that gears and dog rings can be changed for others of identical specification provided the FIA is satisfied there is physical damage to the parts in question.

From BBC

Related Words

• exact 
• indistinguishable 
• interchangeable