identityrelation
nounUK /aɪˈdɛntɪti rɪˈleɪʃən/
US /aɪˈdɛntəti rɪˈleɪʃən/
An identity relation is a rule that says every thing is only matched with itself.
In the identity relation, the number 5 is related only to 5.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In mathematics, the relation that pairs each element of a set with itself and nothing else.
The identity relation on the set {1, 2, 3} contains the pairs (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3).
3. A logical connection in which two things are considered exactly the same.
The detective looked for an identity relation between the two fingerprints.
4. In philosophy, the relation something has to itself by being the very same thing.
Philosophers debate whether an identity relation can hold across time as a person changes.