IDENTICAL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does identical mean? 

• IDENTICAL (adjective)
  The adjective IDENTICAL has 5 senses:

1. exactly alike; incapable of being perceived as different

2. being the exact same one; not any other:

3. (of twins) derived from a single egg or ovum

4. having properties with uniform values along all axes

5. coinciding exactly when superimposed

  Familiarity information: IDENTICAL used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IDENTICAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Exactly alike; incapable of being perceived as different

Synonyms:

identical; indistinguishable

Context example:

they wore indistinguishable hats

Similar:

same (closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree)

Derivation:

identicalness; identity (exact sameness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Being the exact same one; not any other:

Synonyms:

identical; selfsame; very

Context example:

the very man I want to see

Similar:

same (same in identity)

Derivation:

identicalness; identity (exact sameness)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(of twins) derived from a single egg or ovum

Synonyms:

identical; monovular

Context example:

identical twins are monovular

Antonym:

fraternal ((of twins) derived from two separate fertilized ova)

Derivation:

identicalness (exact sameness)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Having properties with uniform values along all axes

Similar:

isotropic; isotropous (invariant with respect to direction)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Derivation:

identicalness (exact sameness)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Coinciding exactly when superimposed

Synonyms:

identical; superposable

Context example:

identical triangles

Similar:

congruent (coinciding when superimposed)

 Context examples 

The active form can consist of a dimer of two identical proteins or a heterodimer of two related bone morphogenetic proteins.

(Bone Morphogenetic Protein, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The resulting sequence is compared to an identical control sample of DNA that was not treated with bisulfite.

(Bisulfite Sequencing, NCI Thesaurus)

Cases with identical morphology have been described arising from the peritoneum as well.

(Borderline Papillary Serous Cystadenoma, NCI Thesaurus)

The morphologic and immunohistochemical features are identical to those seen in the small cell carcinoma of the lung.

(Breast Small Cell Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Visual recognition appears intact but familiar persons are thought be imposters, that is, they appear similar or identical to known individuals but are not.

(Capgras Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

A family of genes that is comprised of 13 nearly identical loci that are clustered in the vicinity of Xq24.

(Cancer/Testis Antigen Family 47 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

A recombinant agent chemically identical to or similar to the endogenous cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4).

(Binetrakin, NCI Thesaurus)

ANG2 is nearly 60% identical to ANG1.

(Angiopoietin-2, NCI Thesaurus)

The structure of the mammary gland is virtually identical in previously pregnant (or “parous”) and never-pregnant (non-parous) animals.

(Mammary Gland May Have Epigenetic Memory, NIH)

The majority of the DNA is identical between individuals, but there are some differences, known as genetic variants, and these changes can have a profound effect, increasing an individual’s susceptibility to disease.

(Detailed genetic study provides most comprehensive map of risk to date of breast cancer risk, University of Cambridge)