Etymologically

identificatio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word identificatio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1380
Ultimate origin
Latin identificō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin idem
Latin identifico
Italian identificare
Latin identificatio
From the same root
Latin identitas ← idem

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪ.dɛn.tɪ.fɪˈkaː.ti.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [i.den.ti.fiˈkat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

identificātiō f (genitive identificātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin identificō (“to identify”) + -tiō.[1][2] The verb is formed from īdem (“the same”) and -ficō.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest record is from about 1380, which he takes from Latham's word list.[2]

Semantic evolution

The DMLBS defines it as the making or becoming identical and quotes it from two works of Wyclif:[3] in one he reports a view that would make Christ an identificātiō rērum, an identification of things, and in the other he names trānsubstanciātiō, identificātiō et impānātiō among the terms used of the Eucharist that, he says, cannot be founded on scripture.[3] The Lexicon Bohemorum explains it as the act of making several things one and the same.[4] Wiktionary marks it as Renaissance Latin for identification,[1] and Köbler derives German Identifikation from it.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1380 – Köbler's earliest record, after Latham's word list.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) The making or becoming identical; the treating of things as the same.[3][4]
  2. (New Latin) Identification.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Cite this entry

“Identificatio.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/identificatio. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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