identifiable

Identifiable is an adjective used to describe something that can be identified or recognized. It refers to the property of being capable of being attributed to a particular person, object, or category based on distinguishing features or information. In general language, an identifiable object is one that can be distinguished from others; a person is identifiable if there is sufficient information to determine who they are.

Etymology: The term derives from the verb identify, with the common English suffix -able, indicating capability. The concept has been used across disciplines to discuss recognizability and traceability, and there is a related noun identifiable information.

In data protection and privacy, identifiable is used to describe information or data that can directly or indirectly identify an individual. Direct identifiers include names and full addresses; indirect identifiers or quasi-identifiers, such as birth date combined with postal code, can render someone identifiable when other data are available. The concept of identifiability is central to debates about de-identification and data anonymization.

In law and compliance, the term is often used to determine whether data falls under personal data regulations; data that is not identifiable may be exempt from certain privacy rules, whereas identifiable data is subject to stricter protections. See also: identifiability, identity, identification, deidentification, anonymization.