identical
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.exactly the same in every way, so that you cannot see any difference.
adj.bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable and non-gradable.
Simple“The two sisters wore identical dresses to the party.”
In context“The laboratory results were identical to the findings from the previous study, confirming that the initial hypothesis was correct.”
PitfallThe two cars are identical to each other. The two cars are identical.While you can say 'A is identical to B', when describing two things together, simply say they are 'identical' without 'to each other'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
adj.being the exact same person or thing, not just a similar one.
adj.referring to the selfsame entity; numerically identical rather than merely qualitatively similar.
Simple“This is the identical spot where we met ten years ago.”
In context“The witness claimed it was the identical vehicle he had seen fleeing the scene, noting a specific scratch on the rear bumper.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing twins who developed from the same egg and look exactly the same.
adj.of twins, developed from a single fertilised ovum and therefore sharing the same genetic code.
Simple“Identical twins often have very similar personalities as well as looks.”
In context“The study focused on identical twins raised apart to determine the relative influence of genetics and environment on cognitive development.”
SynonymsmonozygoticAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
n.one of two twins who look exactly the same.
n.an individual who is an identical twin.
Simple“She is an identical, so people often mistake her for her sister.”
In context“As an identical, he grew accustomed to teachers calling him by his brother's name throughout primary school.”
Synonyms
Usage concurrent identical · identical to · virtually identical
“Then came a solution using five identical 120-sided dice.”
“Even though Maresca was Guardiola’s assistant at City in 2022-23, and his football is Guardiola-inspired, it is not identical, not least because Guardiola was always evolving.”
From identic + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.