idéntica

Idêntica is the feminine form of the Portuguese adjective idêntico, meaning identical or exactly the same in all relevant aspects. It describes things that share exact sameness of form, size, composition, or properties, and is commonly used to refer to copies, images, or descriptions that match one another completely. For example, duas cópias idênticas or uma imagem idêntica à original.

Etymology traces idêntica to the Latin origin identicus, from idem, meaning “the same.” The feminine form follows standard Portuguese adjective agreement, changing to idêntica when it modifies a feminine noun, such as peça idêntica, versão idêntica, or cópia idêntica.

Usage and nuance: idêntica conveys a stronger sense of exact sameness than simply igual. It is used when the similarity is complete and exact, rather than merely similar. Prepositions may influence the construction, for instance idêntica à (to the) original or idêntica a determinadas características, depending on the noun that follows.

In broader contexts, idêntica appears in philosophy and logic when discussing identity, equivalence, or the notion of the same object across contexts. It also appears in mathematics, design, and printing to describe figures, texts, or models that are exact replicas or conform to a precise standard. The corresponding masculine form is idêntico, and the noun form related to the concept of sameness is identidade.

See also: idêntico, identidade, igualdade.