identificado

Identificado is the participle past form of the Spanish verb identificar. It functions mainly as an adjective meaning that someone or something has been recognized or whose identity has been determined. It agrees in gender and number: identificado (masc. singular), identificada (fem. singular), identificados (masc. plural), identificadas (fem. plural). In some contexts it can also be used as a noun to refer to the person or entity whose identity has been verified, though this usage is less common.

Usages and contexts are varied. In law enforcement, journalism, and administration, phrases such as la persona identificada, el individuo identificado, or el caso identificado describe a subject or case whose identity is known. In investigative reporting, “fue identificado por…” indicates that identification was confirmed through evidence or testimony. In information technology and data handling, the adjective appears in expressions like usuario identificado or registro identificado, signaling that authentication has occurred. The related nouns identidad, identificación and el identificador (an identifier) are commonly used in contrast to identify or an unidentified state.

Etymology and related terms. Identificado derives from identificar, which comes from the Latin identificate from identitas (identity) combined with the Spanish suffix -ficar. Related terms include identificación (the process or act of identifying), identificador (an identifier), and identificatorio. The word denotes a state resulting from a recognition process and is contrasted with desconocido or sin identificar when identity has not yet been established.