identification

[ahy-den-tuh-fi-key-shuhn, ih-den-]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of identification¹

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

Example Sentences

So there was a lot riding on Bradford University's identification efforts.

From BBC

Yet, the conclusions it generates can have life-altering consequences: inclusion on a deportation list or identification as a security risk.

From Salon

Police said formal identification had still to take place, but they believed the driver and the two passengers in the Ford Fiesta were male and in their mid teens.

From BBC

As people lined up so officials could review their identification and resumes, current and former law enforcement personnel were routed into a separate line, with the goal of expediting their path.

From Los Angeles Times

They bang on the glass, yell out their identification numbers and plead for help, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• description 
• passport 
• recognition 
• testimony