identical

identical — adjective

1. used to describe two or more items that match one another in every detail, so th

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used to describe two or more items that match one another in every detail, so that no difference can be seen between them.

Example

The two houses on Maple Street look identical, but one has a red door.

Meera bought a dress identical to the one her friend wore at the wedding.

identical to [something]

Common collocations
  • exactly identical
  • virtually identical
  • almost identical
  • nearly identical
  • practically identical
  • identical in appearance
  • identical to
Synonyms
  • same

    more general and more common; does not always imply exact matching in every detail

  • indistinguishable

    emphasises that the differences are too small to notice; more formal

  • equivalent

    refers to having equal value or effect rather than looking alike

Antonyms
  • different

    the most general opposite

  • distinct

    emphasises that each item is clearly separate and unlike the other

Grammar Patterns

be + identical + to + [noun phrase]

be + identical + with + [noun phrase]

identical + [noun]

Usage Note

Commonly followed by the preposition to (identical to) or, less frequently, with (identical with). The pattern identical than X is not correct in standard English.

Common Mistakes

This shirt is identical than the one I own.
This shirt is identical to the one I own.
identical takes the preposition to, not than.
These two phones are identically.
These two phones are identical.
identical is an adjective; identically is the adverb form.

2. referring to the exact particular person, object, or place already mentioned, wi

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

referring to the exact particular person, object, or place already mentioned, without any change or substitution.

Example

This is the identical spot where Eitan proposed to his wife five years ago.

the identical + [noun] + where-clause

Zayd was stopped at the identical traffic light where he had seen the street musician.

Common collocations
  • the identical
  • this identical
  • that identical
Synonyms
  • selfsame

    a less common but more precise synonym meaning exactly the same; used before a noun

  • very

    used as an intensifier in phrases like the very same; more informal

Antonyms
  • different

    not the same; a separate or distinct person or thing

  • other

    a different one, not the one just mentioned

Grammar Patterns

the + identical + [noun]

this/that + identical + [noun]

Usage Note

This sense always appears directly before a noun and is typically preceded by the, this, or that (e.g. the identical house, that identical person). Unlike sense 1, it is never used with the preposition to.

Common Mistakes

He is the identical man to the one I saw.
He is the identical man I saw.
When identical means the selfsame, no preposition to follows.
They live in identical house where we used to live.
They live in the identical house where we used to live.
The definite article the is required before identical in this sense.

3. describing twins who developed from a single fertilised egg and therefore share

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing twins who developed from a single fertilised egg and therefore share all of the same genes.

Example

Yumi and her sister are identical twins, but their personalities are completely different.

identical twin(s)

The study followed a group of identical twins to understand how genes affect health.

Common collocations
  • identical twin
  • identical twin sister
  • identical twin brother
  • identical triplets
  • identical siblings
Synonyms
  • monozygotic

    the technical scientific term; much less common in everyday speech

  • look-alike

    informal term for people who look very similar, not limited to twins

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

identical + twin(s)

identical + sibling(s)

Usage Note

Only used with nouns about siblings born from the same pregnancy (twins, triplets). The opposite is fraternal, which describes twins from two separate eggs.

Common Mistakes

They are identical twins, so they look a bit similar.
They are identical twins, so they look very much alike.
Identical twins share all genes and typically look very alike, not just a bit similar.
She is an identical twin.
She and her sister are identical twins.
Identical is typically used to describe the pair, not a single person alone.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Identical is the strongest of these words — it means matching in every detail, without any difference at all. Same is the most common and general word; it can be used in many situations where the match is not exact (same colour, same idea). Equivalent is more abstract — two things with the same value, effect, or meaning are equivalent even if they look different, like equivalent grades at different schools. Indistinguishable focuses on perception: you cannot tell the two apart with your eyes or senses. For example, two chairs from the same factory are identical, your answer and mine are the same, earning the same score is equivalent, and two handwriting samples that look exactly alike are indistinguishable.

identical ↗same ↗equivalent ↗indistinguishable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • identical in every way
  • identical in appearance
  • identical to each other
  • the identical one

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinLate LatinFrenchEnglish

Identical comes from the Latin word identicus, which was built from idem meaning 'the same'. Late Latin created identitas ('sameness'), and from there French and English developed the modern adjective. The sense about twins (monozygotic) developed in the 1800s as scientists began to understand how human reproduction works.