Identifié

Identifié is the past participle of the French verb identifier. It is used as an adjective or in passive constructions to indicate that the identity of a person, object, or data record has been established. The term is common in law enforcement, administration, research, and information technology, and it can describe both people and non-human subjects. In practice you will encounter phrases such as une personne identifiée, un élément identifié, or un suspect a été identifié.

Grammatical notes: as a participle, identifiée agrees with the noun it modifies. The forms are identifié (masculin singulier), identifiée (féminin singulier), identifi s (masculin pluriel), identifiées (féminin pluriel). It can appear in compound tenses with être when describing a state (La cible a été identifiée), or with avoir when the object is the thing identified (L’équipe a identifié les données). The related noun identifiant refers to an identifier such as a username or a number.

Etymology and related forms: identif ié derives from the verb identifier, which in turn comes from Latin identificare, from identitas meaning identity, itself based on idem “the same.” Related terms include identité (identity), identifiant (an identifier or login), and identification (the process or act of establishing identity).

Contexts and considerations: the concept of being identified has implications for privacy, data protection, and consent, particularly in surveillance, profiling, or administrative processes. In everyday language, identifiant is commonly used for digital credentials, while identifié emphasizes the establishment of identity in a given situation.