Main Entry:: iden·ti·ty
Pronunciation:: \ī-ˈden-tə-tē, ə-, -ˈde-nə-\
Function:: noun
Inflected Form(s):: plural iden·ti·ties
Etymology:: Middle French identité, from Late Latin identitat-, identitas, probably from Latin identidem repeatedly, contraction of idem et idem, literally, same and same
Date:: 1570

1 a: sameness of essential or generic character in different instances b: sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing : oneness2 a: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual : individuality b: the relation established by psychological identification3: the condition of being the same with something described or asserted <establish the identity of stolen goods>4: an equation that is satisfied for all values of the symbols5: identity element

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