identification

noun

iden·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ī-ˌden-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ə-

1

a

: an act of identifying : the state of being identified

Police made a positive identification of the suspect.

b

: evidence of identity

need to show identification before boarding the flight

2

a

: psychological orientation of the self in regard to something (such as a person or group) with a resulting feeling of close emotional association

b

: a largely unconscious process whereby an individual models thoughts, feelings, and actions after those attributed to an object that has been incorporated as a mental image

Examples of identification in a Sentence

A member of the family was brought in for identification of the body.

The birds are tagged for easy identification.

The police have made a positive identification of the suspect.

You need two forms of identification.

the movie audience's identification with the good guys

Recent Examples on the Web

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is implementing more stringent photo identification requirements for all vehicle registrations and renewals in an abrupt shift that could shut out immigrants from legally owning vehicles. —Ayden Runnels, Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2025

Escondido police ask that anyone with information leading to the identification of the driver call Officer Paul Smyth at 760-839-4423. —Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025

The most shocking loopholes come from the apparent reality that no law or regulation requires ICE agents to show their faces or to provide identification when making stops and arrests. —Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025

Dalton, 34, said Sonia's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status had lapsed in recent years, leaving her without valid identification. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing identification

• identification card
• identification parade
• self-identification

Rhymes for identification

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

Kids Definition

identification

noun

iden·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ī-ˌdent-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ə-ˌdent-

1

: an act of identifying : the state of being identified

2

: evidence of identity

carry identification at all times

Medical Definition

identification

noun

iden·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ī-ˌdent-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən, ə- 

1

: an act of identifying : the state of being identified

2

a

: psychological orientation of the self in regard to something (as a person or group) with a resulting feeling of close emotional association

b

: a largely unconscious process whereby an individual models thoughts, feelings, and actions after those attributed to an object that has been incorporated as a mental image