Identical

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɪˈdɛntɪkl̩/

Definitions

1. Exactly the same in every way, with no differences whatsoever
2. Having the same characteristics or elements, implying no variation in form or nature
3. Being indistinguishable from another, meaning they possess the same qualities and attributes

Etymology: The ending "-al" is far older than the rest of the word. It goes back to an Indo-European root, *h₂el-, which carried a sense of "other." Through Proto-Italic and Latin, where "-ālis" made adjectives meaning "pertaining to," it passed through Old French "-al" into Middle English. The stem is "identic," a term borrowed from medieval Latin "identicus," which comes from Latin "idem," meaning "the same." English kept that root but later added the "-al" ending to create the longer adjective. Both forms mean the same thing, and the longer one became the more common.

Synonyms: same, equal, duplicate

Antonyms: different, distinct