identifier

noun

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

"identifier" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“identifier” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,790 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#24,790
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone who identifies; a person who establishes the identity of someone or something.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

identifier vs identified
90% similar

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

Key facts for identifier
PropertyValue
Headwordidentifier
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters10
Frequency rank#24,790
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “identifier” 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). identifier 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 identifier is 10 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #24,790 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for identifier, with forms such as "dientifier", "iddentifier", and "idenitfier". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "identified", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From identify + -er. The correct English form is identifier, spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-F-I-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who identifies; a person who establishes the identity of someone or something.
  2. 2
    Something that identifies or uniquely points to something or someone else.
  3. 3
    One who identifies as a particular type or role; one who says and believes that they are a certain thing.
  4. 4
    A guidebook that helps determine the specific class of an object (such as a mushroom, herb, fish, bird, drug, or mineral), or its individual identity (such as that of a star).
  5. 5
    A formal name used in source code to refer to a variable, function, procedure, package, etc. or in an operating system to refer to a process, user, group, etc.
  6. 6
    A code that distinguishes a particular element from all other elements in a document.
  7. 7
    A primary key.

Etymology

From identify + -er.

Antonyms

identifiee

This word in other languages

identificador(Español)identificateur(Français)Kennzeichen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dientifier,iddentifier,idenitfier,idenntifier,identfiier,identifeir,identiffier,identifierr,identifire,identiifer,identtifier,idetnifier,idnetifier,iedntifier

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of identifier - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

dientifier2iddentifier1idenitfier2idenntifier1identfiier2identifeir2identiffier1identifierr1
Edit distance from "identifier"

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 "identifier"?
"identifier" is spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-F-I-E-R.
What does "identifier" mean?
As a noun, "identifier" means: Someone who identifies; a person who establishes the identity of someone or something.
What words are commonly confused with "identifier"?
"identifier" is commonly confused with "identified". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "identifier"?
From identify + -er. 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 “identifier”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-D-E-N-T-I-F-I-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “identified” - see the side-by-side comparison. identifier vs identified
  • 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