Definition of the word identity

1

a

: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual : individuality

2

: the condition of being the same with something described or asserted

establish the identity of stolen goods

3

a

: sameness of essential or generic character in different instances

b

: sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing : oneness

4

: an equation that is satisfied for all values of the symbols

Synonyms

Example Sentences



The identity of the criminal is not known.



They produced their passports as proof of their identities.



They arrested the wrong man. It was a case of mistaken identity.



As children grow, they establish their own identities.



people who seem to lack individual identity



His art reflects his cultural identity.

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Recent Examples on the Web

His identity was not released, nor was any information about the shooters.


—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2023




The victim’s identity has not been released pending family notification, Wark said.


—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Mar. 2023




But boygenius made The Record as a band-band, self-consciously going for a group identity that’s different from the sum of the parts.


—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2023




The Rocket City Trash Pandas are adopting a new identity for three games this season.


—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 27 Mar. 2023




The Lakers developed an identity that was independent of James while he was injured.


—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2023




At the time of this article’s publication, the shooter’s identity has not yet been released.


—Thania Garcia, Variety, 27 Mar. 2023




There’s one thing that connects all Belgian coastal destinations even more than their geographical proximity: a common identity.


—Sander Van Den Broecke, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2023




In Illinois, legislation sponsored by state Sen. Doris Turner (D) to form a committee to explore a potential redesign is motivated more by a desire for a refreshed identity and a bid for civic engagement.


—Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023


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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘identity.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French identité, from Late Latin identitat-, identitas, probably from Latin identidem repeatedly, contraction of idem et idem, literally, same and same

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler

The first known use of identity was
in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near identity

Cite this Entry

“Identity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identity. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Источник

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look up identity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Identity may refer to:

  • Identity document
  • Identity (philosophy)
  • Identity (social science)
  • Identity (mathematics)

Arts and entertainment[edit]

Film and television[edit]

  • Identity (1987 film), an Iranian film
  • Identity (2003 film), an American slasher film
  • Identity (game show), an American game show
  • Identity (TV series), a British police procedural drama television series
  • «Identity» (Arrow), a 2013 episode
  • «Identity» (Burn Notice), a 2007 episode
  • «Identity» (Charlie Jade), a 2005 episode
  • «Identity» (Legend of the Seeker), a 2008 episode
  • «Identity» (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode), 2005
  • «Identity» (NCIS: Los Angeles), a 2009 pilot episode

Music[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • Identity (3T album), 2004
  • Identity (BoA album), 2010
  • Identity (Far East Movement album), 2016
  • Identity (Robert Pierre album), 2008
  • Identity (Raghav album), 2008
  • Identity (Victon EP), 2017
  • Identity (Zee album), 1984

Songs[edit]

  • «Identity» (Sakanaction song), 2010
  • «Identity» (X-Ray Spex song), 1978
  • «Identity», a 1983 song by Bucks Fizz, B-side to «London Town»

Other uses in music[edit]

  • Identity (music), in post-tonal music theory
  • Identity (tuning), an odd member below and including a limit

Publications[edit]

  • Identity, a defunct quarterly Australian magazine published by the Aboriginal Publications Foundation (1971–1982)
  • Identity (novel), by Milan Kundera, 1998

Business[edit]

  • Accounting identity, calculation that must be true regardless of its variables
  • Brand identity, the expression of a brand
  • Corporate identity, the manner a corporation presents itself to the public

Philosophy and social science[edit]

  • Identity (philosophy), the relation each thing bears only to itself
  • Law of identity, that each thing is identical with itself
  • Personal identity, the numerical identity of a person over time
  • Identity (social science), qualities etc that characterize a person or group

Science[edit]

  • Digital identity, information used by computer systems to represent an external agent
  • Identity (object-oriented programming), the property of objects that distinguishes them from other objects
  • Identity (mathematics), an equality that holds regardless of the values of its variables
  • Identity element, an element of the set which leaves unchanged every element when the operation is applied
  • Identity function, a function that leaves its argument unchanged
  • Identity matrix, with ones on the main diagonal, zeros elsewhere

Other uses[edit]

  • Identity document, or ID

See also[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Identity.

  • All pages with titles beginning with Identity
  • All pages with titles containing Identity
  • Biometrics
  • Collective identity
  • Cultural diversity
  • Cultural identity
  • Entity (disambiguation)
  • ID (disambiguation)
  • Identification (disambiguation)
  • Identifier, a name that identifies a unique object or class of objects
  • Identity politics
  • National identity
  • Outline of self
  • Personal data
  • Personal identity (disambiguation)
  • Secret identity (disambiguation)
  • The Bourne Identity (disambiguation)

Источник

  • Top Definitions
  • Synonyms
  • Quiz
  • Related Content
  • About This Word
  • Examples
  • British

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

[ ahy-den-ti-tee, ih-den— ]

/ aɪˈdɛn tɪ ti, ɪˈdɛn- /

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

noun, plural i·den·ti·ties.

the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions: The identity of the fingerprints on the gun with those on file provided evidence that he was the killer.

the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another: He began to doubt his own identity.

condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is; the qualities, beliefs, etc., that distinguish or identify a person or thing: a case of mistaken identity; a male gender identity; immigrants with strong ethnic identities.

the state or fact of being the same one as described.

the sense of self, providing sameness and continuity in personality over time and sometimes disturbed in mental illnesses, as schizophrenia.

exact likeness in nature or qualities: an identity of interests.

an instance or point of sameness or likeness: to mistake resemblances for identities.

Logic. an assertion that two terms refer to the same thing.

Mathematics.

  1. an equation that is valid for all values of its variables.
  2. Also called identity element, unit element, unity . an element in a set such that the element operating on any other element of the set leaves the second element unchanged.
  3. the property of a function or map such that each element is mapped into itself.
  4. the function or map itself.

Australian Informal. an interesting, famous, or eccentric resident, usually of long standing in a community.

QUIZ

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Origin of identity

First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin identitās, equivalent to Latin ident(idem) “repeatedly, again and again,” earlier unattested idem et idem (idem neuter of īdem “the same” + et “and”) + -itās noun suffix; see -ity

historical usage of identity

Identity comes into English via Middle French identité, ydemtité, ydemptité “the quality of being the same, sameness,” from Late Latin identitās (inflectional stem identitāt- ) “the quality of being the same, the condition or fact that an entity is itself and not another thing.” Identitās is formed partly from the Latin adverb identidem “again and again, repeatedly,” a contraction of idem et idem (“the same and the same”), and partly from Late Latin essentitās, a translation of Greek taủtótēs “identity” (that is, tò auto “the same” and the noun suffix -tēs “-ness”).
“One’s personal characteristics, or the sense of who one is, as perceived by the person or by others,” is a meaning of identity that dates from the early 18th century. Since then, issues of personal identity, especially sexual and gender identity, have provoked discussions about one’s overlapping roles in society. The phrase identity politics “political activity based on or catering to the cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, or social interests that characterize a group identity” was coined in 1973.

OTHER WORDS FROM identity

non·i·den·ti·ty, noun

Words nearby identity

identification parade, identification tag, identifier, identify, Identi-Kit, identity, identity card, identity crisis, identity element, identity function, identity matrix

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

ABOUT THIS WORD

What is identity?

Identity is the unique set of characteristics that can be used to identify a person as themself and no one else.

The word can be used in different ways in different contexts.

On a personal level, identity often refers to a person’s sense of self, meaning how they view themself as compared to other people.

Practically speaking, a person’s identity is who they really are. A detective may try to determine the identity of a suspect—meaning who that person is (including things like their real name). A case of mistaken identity involves someone being mistaken for someone they are not. Superheroes often have secret identities.

The concept of identity is complex and can involve all kinds of characteristics, qualities, experiences, interests, and other aspects of a person that make them distinct from anyone else.

In the term identity politics, identity refers to the cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, social, or other facets that a person considers as inherent to who they are, especially in relation to their belonging in a particular group or community of similar people.

Identity can involve physical traits, such as eye color or height, but it doesn’t necessarily involve such things. For example, the crime of identity theft usually involves stealing someone’s personal information, not their physical appearance (except in the movie Face/Off).

Example: The journalist refused to reveal the identity of her source. 

Example: Being a Black bisexual woman is a huge and important part of my identity, but it’s not my whole identity: I’m a coder; I’m a Knicks fan; I love dogs—my identity can’t be easily defined with a few words.

Where does identity come from?

The first records of the word identity come from around 1560. It ultimately comes from the Latin idem, meaning “the same.” Generally speaking, the traits that make up a person’s identity are what identifies them as remaining the same under different circumstances. For example, a person doesn’t become a different person just because they dye their hair or change their name or lose an arm. (In another sense, such a change could be considered to change a person’s identity by adding another unique aspect to it.)

Conception and discussion of identity has evolved over time, especially in the context of sexual identity, gender identity, and racial identity. In these contexts, identities relating to these characteristics were traditionally defined with rigid categories. In contrast, many modern conceptions of these aspects of identity place them along a spectrum or don’t limit them to any predefined categories.

To learn more about the complex aspects of identity—both the word and the concept—take a look at why identity was chosen as the Dictionary.com Word of the Year in 2015.

Did you know … ?

How is identity used in real life?

Identity is a complex concept, and the word can be used in various ways in different contexts.

Dammit, Variety! Some of us don’t want the identity of the killer in Child 44 flat-out told to us in the middle of the review!

— Mathew Buck (@FB_BMB) April 16, 2015

The way it feels so natural being with a women, I can’t believe I neglected this part of my identity for so long 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

— Yahaira Cáceres (@hai_rac) October 16, 2020

Establishing a professional identity often involves managing perceptions of racial identity.

This is especially the case when you don’t “racially match” your job.

— Vijay Ramjattan (@Vijay_Ramjattan) October 16, 2020

Try using identity!

A person’s identity can involve which of the following things?

A. their gender
B. their interests
C. their job
D. all of the above

Words related to identity

character, existence, identification, integrity, name, personality, status, equality, unity, circumstances, coherence, distinctiveness, oneness, particularity, self, singleness, singularity, uniqueness, accord, agreement

How to use identity in a sentence

  • They were spurred by their research, which revealed Ghanaian banks to be beset by widespread identity fraud and cybercrime and spent nearly $400 million a year to identify their customers.

  • Now we have different sorts of status hierarchies for each identity—related to, for example, class or occupation—and a fire hose of social information layered on top of our personal relationships.

  • Acquiring these user identities is one step, the next is to connect a given user identity cohesively across all points in the brand’s digital ecosystem.

  • The information requested by these systems to verify a voter’s identity is often easily discoverable,and sometimes even a matter of public record in states that make voter files public.

  • The James Beard Foundation is experiencing something of an identity crisis.

  • But he, like many people using dating apps whatever their sexual identity, remains stoutly positive.

  • They are not the actual traffickers, Yazbek says, so generally the other refugees protect their identity.

  • But those strands of his identity are all wound around the conspiracy that led him back to Gambia for the first time in 23 years.

  • Identity issues seem to have dogged Otis since his troubles began.

  • In a remote location with little means for economic development, the Brogpas have cultivating this identity to their advantage.

  • Now the Waterford and Limerick were to lose, not only the Ennis line, but all their lines and their own identity as well.

  • There is a perfect identity of principle, both working to the same good end, between the existing corn-law and the new tariff.

  • But in all probability, the messenger knew less about the identity of the Eye than Black Hood knew.

  • Some are constantly being added, others are removed from her communion on earth, but her characteristic absolute identity remains.

  • At least he understood how Jack Carlson had died, even if the mystery of the identity of the Eye had deepened.

British Dictionary definitions for identity

noun plural -ties

the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing

the individual characteristics by which a person or thing is recognized

Also called: numerical identity the property of being one and the same individualhis loss of memory did not affect his identity

Also called: qualitative identity the state of being the same in nature, quality, etcthey were linked by the identity of their tastes

the state of being the same as a person or thing described or claimedthe identity of the stolen goods has not yet been established

identification of oneself asmoving to London destroyed his Welsh identity

logic

  1. that relation that holds only between any entity and itself
  2. an assertion that that relation holds, as Cicero is Tully

maths

  1. an equation that is valid for all values of its variables, as in (x – y)(x + y) = x ² – y ². Often denoted by the symbol ≡
  2. Also called: identity element a member of a set that when operating on another member, x, produces that member x: the identity for multiplication of numbers is 1 since x .1 = 1. x = xSee also inverse (def. 2b)

Australian and NZ informal a well-known person, esp in a specified locality; figure (esp in the phrase an old identity)

Word Origin for identity

C16: from Late Latin identitās, from Latin idem the same

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Источник

Other forms: identities

Your identity is what makes you «you.» If you are having «an identity crisis,» then I guess you can’t figure out who you are. Good luck with that.

The noun identity can also refer to a name or persona. Criminals tend to use false identities so they won’t get caught. If you falsely identify someone, it is a case of «mistaken identity.» The word identity doesn’t have to be used for a single person either. People refer to «corporate identity» when talking about what makes a company unique.

Definitions of identity

  1. noun

    the individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known

    “geneticists only recently discovered the
    identity of the gene that causes it”

    “it was too dark to determine his
    identity”

  2. noun

    the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity

    “you can lose your
    identity when you join the army”

    synonyms:

    individuality, personal identity

    see moresee less

    types:

    gender, gender identity

    your identity as it is experienced with regard to your individuality as male or female, both male and female, or neither; awareness normally begin in infancy and is reinforced during adolescence

    identification

    the attribution to yourself (consciously or unconsciously) of the characteristics of another person (or group of persons)

    personhood

    being a person

    type of:

    personality

    the complex of all the attributes—behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental—that characterize a unique individual

  3. “they shared an
    identity of interests”

    synonyms:

    identicalness, indistinguishability

  4. noun

    an operator that leaves unchanged the element on which it operates

    “the
    identity under numerical multiplication is 1”

    synonyms:

    identity element, identity operator

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘identity’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback

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Источник

Meaning Identity

What does Identity mean? Here you find 46 meanings of the word Identity. You can also add a definition of Identity yourself

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Identity is whom someone or what something is, for example, the name by which something is known.

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Identity

The characteristics and qualities of a person, considered collectively, and regarded as essential to that person’s self-awareness.

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Identity

Specifications where the items compared in different countries are as close to identical as possible, as for the same brand name and model.

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Identity

1[countable, uncountable] (abbreviation ID) who or what someone or something is The police are trying to discover the identity of the killer. Their identities were kept secret. She is innocent; it was [..]

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Identity

c. 1600, «sameness, oneness, state of being the same,» from Middle French identité (14c.), from Medieval Latin identitatem (nominative identitas) «sameness,» ultimately from Latin [..]

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Identity

/aɪˈdɛntəti/ noun plural identities identity /aɪˈdɛntəti/ noun plural identities Learner's definition of IDENTITY 1  : who someone is : the name of a person [count] The identity of t [..]

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Identity

how a person defines themselves, or how others define them.

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Identity

An alternative comparison matrix for FASTA searches.

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Identity

the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity; "you can lose your identity when you join the army" the individual characteristics by which a thing [..]

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Identity

A unique piece of information which is recognized as denoting a particular entity within a security domain. The identity information is only unique within the domain [ECMA138].

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Identity

The logical relation of numerical sameness, in which each thing stands only to itself. Although everything is what it is and not anything else, philosophers try to formulate more precisely the criteri [..]

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Identity

A number that when operating with it on any other number leaves the number unchanged.

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Identity

In computer technology, the unique name of a person, device, or the combination of both that is recognized by a system. Many types of AAA systems rely on unique identities to ensure the security of ne [..]

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Identity

identitet

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Identity

zelbikeyt

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Identity

In the Quantitative Coding System identity is one of the classifications with the highest number of subclasses (8 altogether) and they are all hierarchically divided according to their familiarity to the dreamer. They are: Immediate Family Members Relatives Acquaintances famous people occupational identifications Ethnic, nationality, and regional [..]

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Identity

The easiest way I know to explain and understand identity is this way: a person’s identity is his or her own sense of self; of who they are. For example, your identity may be that you are a femal [..]

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Identity

pl: -ties 1 : sameness of essential character or aspect [collateral estoppel requires of the issues and the parties] 2 a : separate or distinct existence [when movables lose their or become an …

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Identity

Properties of an entity that makes it definable and recognizable.

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Identity

Recognizable attributes that are linked to an object, a person, etc. Those attributes expose the entity and allow for clear identification. If two things have the exact same attributes, they usually have the same identity, and they can’t be distinguished from each other.

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Identity

an equality that remains true regardless of the values of any variables that appear within it, e.g. for multiplication, the identity is one; for addition, the identity is zero

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Identity

The collective set of distinct personal and physical features, data and qualities that enable a person to be definitively identified from others. In a biometric system, identity is typically establish [..]

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Identity

an equation that is true for all values of the variable. identity element

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Identity

There are some bits of information you should never share online, and some you might share in the right situation but only when you’re certain you’re on a secure site. Sharing personal info can be dangerous, because even a little when shared innocently can be enough information for a scammer or predator to connect with your real-world identity [..]

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Identity

(n) the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity(n) the individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known(n) an operator that leaves unchange [..]

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Identity

«Refers to identities in the plural which individuals make for themselves… they may be fluid, reflexive, innovative.» (Brannen & Nilsen citing Kellner «A unique core or essence to identity- the ‘…

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Identity

How individuals see and define themselves and how other people see and define them.

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Identity

To determine the original existing features and materials of a historic property. (Design Guidelines for Department of Defense Historic Buildings and Districts; US Department of Defense, 2008)

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Identity

Visual Identity is the visible essence of a corporation, institution or government agengy. Identity, unified & controlled, can provide a postive association with an organization in the eyes of employees, customers, stockholders, and the public.

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Identity

A math property which states: A+0=A and A*1=A.

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Identity

A Person’s concept of self as being male and masculine or female and feminine, or ambivalent, based in part on physical characteristics, parental responses, and psychological and social Pressures [..]

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Identity

The process by which an aspect of self image is developed based on in-group preference or ethnocentrism and a Perception of belonging to a social or cultural group. (From APA, Thesaurus of Psychologic [..]

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Identity

the way in which an individual and/or group defines itself. Identity is important to self-concept, social mores, and national understanding.   It often involves both essentialism and othering.

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Identity

the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known

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Identity

A person’s identity is broadly defined as a person’s self-image or sense of self. The concept of identity has wide use in most social sciences outside …

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Identity

The set of attribute values (i.e., characteristics) by which an entity is recognizable and that, within the scope of an identity manager’s responsibility, is sufficient to distinguish that entity from any other entity.

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Identity

The conventional concepts of self image, self esteem and self concept are examples of identity. In this work the construct of identity includes the way we see, hear and feel about ourselves. An identi [..]

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Identity

A property

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Identity

The data that lets you know a consumer is the same no matter which touchpoint or channel he/she uses. It is now possible to derive a single view of a prospect or customer based on just one key identifier, such as name, physical address, phone number, email address or IP address. An identity doesn’t always include a name or other personally identi [..]

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Identity

Identity is the set of information associated with a specific physical person or other entity. Usually not all identity attributes are relevant in any given situation. Typically an Identity Provider will be authoritative for only a subset of a person’s identity information.

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Identity

In comparison of nucleic acid or protein sequences, the extent to which two sequences have the same nucleotide or amino acid at equivalent positions, usually expressed as a percentage.

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Identity

A unique characteristic of an individual person. For example, a driver’s license proves that this person is who he or she says they are.

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Identity

A set of cryptographically verifiable interactions that have the property that they were all created by the same person.

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Identity

Identity as it relates to Shibboleth is the information associated with a specific person or group. The U-M

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Identity

Social positions and roles that we claim as part of our self.

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Identity

How you view yourself, how others perceive you, and how a society as a whole defines groups of people. Influences of one’s identity are: ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and class, as [..]

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