Definition of “identity” - English Dictionary

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“identity” in English

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uk /aɪˈden.tə.ti/ us /aɪˈden.t̬ə.t̬i/

B2 who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others:

The man's identity was being kept secret while he was helping police with enquiries.

I cannot reveal the identity of my source.

The informant was given a new identity (= a different name and new official documents) for protection.

The newspaper photo apparently showed him in Rome but it was a case of mistaken identity (= it was the wrong person).

In prison people often suffer from a loss of identity.

I think my job gives me a sense of identity.

More examples

He was quite certain about his attacker's identity.
He assumed a false identity in order to escape from the police.
To conceal his identity, the man's words are being read by an actor.
Through a process of deduction , the detectives discovered the identity of the killer.
Australia has its own cultural identity, which is very different from that of Britain.