identify

Name: identify, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/

//aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“identify” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,682 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,682
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 12
tracked misspellings: 1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To establish the identity of someone or something.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

identify vs identity

88% similar

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

Key facts for identify
Property	Value
Headword	identify
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#2,682
Misspellings tracked	12
Confusable pairs	1
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “identify” 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). identify lands here:

#2,682

#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 identify is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,682 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for identify, with forms such as "dientify", "iddentify", and "idenitfy". 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, "identity", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French identifier, from Medieval Latin identicus + Latin faciō. The correct English form is identify, spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-F-Y.

Definition

1
To establish the identity of someone or something.
2
To disclose the identity of someone.
3
To establish the taxonomic classification of an organism.
4
To equate or make the same; to unite or combine into one.
5
To have a strong affinity with; to feel oneself to be modelled on or connected to.
6
To associate oneself with some group; to feel, or believe one feels, the same way.
7
To claim an identity; to describe oneself as a member of a group; to assert the use of a particular term to describe oneself.

Etymology

From French identifier, from Medieval Latin identicus + Latin faciō.

Synonyms

ID clock identify kento make someonenotice recognize twig

Antonyms

misken

This word in other languages

identificar(Español)identifier(Français)identifizieren(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dientify,iddentify,idenitfy,idenntify,identfiy,identiffy,identifyy,identiyf,identtify,idetnify,idnetify,iedntify

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of identify - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "identify"

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 "identify"?

"identify" is spelled I-D-E-N-T-I-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/.

What does "identify" mean?

As a verb, "identify" means: To establish the identity of someone or something.

What words are commonly confused with "identify"?

"identify" is commonly confused with "identity". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "identify"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "identify" is /aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/. 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 "identify"?

From French identifier, from Medieval Latin identicus + Latin faciō. 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 “identify”

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-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /aɪˈdɛn.tɪ.faɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “identity” - see the side-by-side comparison. identify vs identity
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.