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Consistent vs Identical - What's the difference?

consistent | identical |

As adjectives the difference between consistent and identical

is that consistent is of a regularly occurring, dependable nature while identical is bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.

As nouns the difference between consistent and identical

is that consistent is objects or facts that are coexistent, or in agreement with one another while identical is something which has exactly the same properties as something else.

consistent

English

(consistency)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of a regularly occurring, dependable nature.
  • The consistent use of Chinglish in China can be very annoying, apart from some initial amusement.
    He is very consistent in his political choices: economy good or bad, he always votes Labour!
  • Compatible, accordant.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
  • , author=Steven Sloman , title=The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation , volume=100, issue=1, page=74 , magazine= citation , passage=Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.}}
  • (logic) Of a set of statements, such that no contradiction logically follows from them.
  • Antonyms

    * inconsistent * contradictory

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (in the plural, rare) Objects or facts that are coexistent, or in agreement with one another.
  • * 1662 Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):
  • The Diurnal motion of the primum mobile, is it not from East to West? And the annual motion of the Sun through the Ecliptick, is it not on the contrary from West to East? How then can you make these motions being conferred on the Earth ... to become consistents ?
  • In the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church, a kind of penitent who was allowed to assist at prayers, but could not be admitted to receive the holy sacrament.
  • * 1885 Catholic Dictionary 651
  • The consistentes stand together with the faithful, and do not go out with the catechumens.

    References

    * * Catholic Dictionary (1885) * Ephraim Chambers, Cyclopaedia - Supplement (1753) ----

    identical

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (not comparable) Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1911, title=Encyclopædia Britannica, chapter=
  • , passage=By this means as many absolutely identical plates can be produced as may be required, and being hardened they will yield a very large number of prints without any appreciable deterioration.}}
  • *
  • *
  • (not comparable) Not different or other; not another or others; not different as regards self; selfsame; numerically identical.
  • *
  • *
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, title=, by=W. C. Firebaugh, author=Petronius,
  • passage=Nor could I myself look upon this man without some emotion, for he seemed to be the identical  person who had picked up the ragged tunic in the lonely wood, and, as a matter of fact, he was!}}
  • (not comparable, biology) Of twins, sharing the same genetic code.
  • (not comparable, mathematics) Exactly equivalent.
  • (comparable, rare) Approximating or approaching exact equivalence.
  • * 1788 , , XLI:
  • The terms of Article 8th are still more identical .
    *

    Usage notes

    * (en-usage-equal) * Adverbs often used with "identical": absolutely, almost, nearly, practically, virtually, substantially.

    Synonyms

    * (bearing full likeness) same * (selfsame) same, selfsame

    Antonyms

    * non-identical * different * distinct

    Derived terms

    * identically * identicalness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (usually, pluralized, chiefly, philosophy) Something which has exactly the same properties as something else.
  • Derived terms

    * indiscernibility of identicals

    References

    * * *