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Meaning & use

id

noun, abbreviation·Academic

Last updated

UK/ɪd/
US/ɪd/

Meanings

  1. nounsingulartechnical

    In Freud's theory of the mind, the unconscious part of personality that holds raw instincts and urges and seeks immediate satisfaction.

    Grammar: Usually used with the: the id, often alongside the ego and superego.

    Patterns

    • the id, the ego and the superego

    According to Freud, the id demands pleasure without thinking of the consequences.

    The psychology lecturer compared the id to a hungry toddler.

    Her sudden outburst looked like the id breaking free from the ego's control.

  2. noununcountableinformal

    Official proof of who you are, such as a card or document showing your name and photo; usually written ID.

    Grammar: Normally written in capitals as ID and used informally: show your ID, or an ID card.

    Patterns

    • show your ID
    • an ID card
    • photo ID

    You need a photo ID to pick up the package.

    The bouncer asked to see my ID at the door.

    Please bring valid ID when you open a bank account.

  3. abbreviationcountablecomputing

    Short for identifier or identification, a code or name that marks a user, file or item in a system.

    Grammar: Written as ID: a user ID, an order ID.

    Patterns

    • user ID
    • order ID

    Enter your user ID and password to log in.

    Each product in the database has its own unique ID.

    Please quote your order ID when you contact support.

Word forms

pluralids

Common combinations

the id and the ego
The essay explains how the id and the ego often compete.
photo ID
Voters must show a photo ID at the polling station.
user ID
Choose a user ID that is easy to remember.
show ID
Customers must show ID to buy age-restricted items.
fake ID
He was turned away at the door for using a fake ID.
unique ID
Every student receives a unique ID number.

Synonyms and how they differ

instinct
Instinct is an everyday word for an inborn urge, while the id names a whole part of the mind in a particular psychological theory.
identification
Identification is the full, formal word for a document proving who you are; ID is the casual shorthand.
passport
A passport is one specific kind of identity document, so it is narrower than ID.
credentials
Credentials usually means the items such as a login name and password or qualifications that prove you are allowed to do something, not just who you are.

Word family

ego noun
the part of the mind that deals with reality and balances the id
superego noun
the part of the mind that holds moral rules and conscience
identity noun
who a person is, or the fact of being who you say you are
identify verb
to recognize or prove who or what someone or something is
identification noun
the act of identifying, or documents that prove identity

Commonly confused: id or I'd? id or ego?

id vs I'd

I'd is a contraction of I would or I had, written with an apostrophe, while id is a noun with no apostrophe.

id vs ego

The ego is the sensible part that manages reality, but the id is the impulsive part that wants instant pleasure.

Practice

In Freudian theory, which part of the mind is driven by instinctive urges and wants immediate satisfaction?

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