identical

/ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/

//ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"identical" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“identical” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,053 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,053
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

identical vs identically
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for identical
PropertyValue
Headwordidentical
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/
Letters9
Frequency rank#5,053
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “identical” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). identical lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for identical is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,053 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for identical, with forms such as "dientical", "iddentical", and "idenitcal". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "identically", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From identic + -al. The correct English form is identical, spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-C-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.
  2. 2
    Not different or other; not another or others; not different as regards self; selfsame; numerically identical.
  3. 3
    Of twins, sharing the same genetic code.
  4. 4
    Exactly equivalent.
  5. 5
    Approximating or approaching exact equivalence.

Etymology

From identic + -al.

Synonyms

samesameselfsamemonozygoticmonovularidenticalindifferentnondifferentone and the sameselfundifferentundifferentiated

Antonyms

contrastingdifferentdistinctnon-identicalopposite

This word in other languages

idéntico(Español)identique(Français)identisch(Deutsch)idêntico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dientical,iddentical,idenitcal,idenntical,identcial,identiacl,identicall,identiccal,identicla,identtical,idetnical,idnetical,iedntical

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of identical - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

dientical2iddentical1idenitcal2idenntical1identcial2identiacl2identicall1identiccal1
Edit distance from "identical"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "identical"?
"identical" is spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-C-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/.
What does "identical" mean?
As an adjective, "identical" means: Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.
What words are commonly confused with "identical"?
"identical" is commonly confused with "identically". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "identical"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "identical" is /ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "identical"?
From identic + -al. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “identical”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-D-E-N-T-I-C-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “identically” - see the side-by-side comparison. identical vs identically
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list