# user ID

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/user-id
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a login name

noun · CEFR A2

a unique name you use to identify yourself when logging into a website or app.

For teachers: a unique alphanumeric string used to identify a specific individual during the authentication process on a digital platform.

- Please enter your user ID and password to access your bank account.
- The system administrator requested that all employees update their user ID to follow the new security protocol for remote access.

### 2. a system number

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a unique number that a computer system uses to track a specific person.

For teachers: a unique numeric identifier assigned by an operating system or database to distinguish between different accounts.

- The database uses a unique user ID to keep track of every customer's orders.
- The backend logs recorded the error alongside the specific user ID, allowing the developers to trace the fault to a specific account configuration.

## Examples

- Please enter your user ID and password to log in.
- If you forget your user ID, the system can email it to the address you provided during registration.
- Security protocols often dictate that a user ID should not contain personally identifiable information to prevent unauthorized actors from guessing account credentials through social engineering.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.
