The difference between Equal and Identical

When used as nouns, equal means a person or thing of equal status to others, whereas identical means something which has exactly the same properties as something else.

When used as adjectives, equal means the same in all respects, whereas identical means bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics.

Equal is also verb with the meaning: to be equal to, to have the same value as.

check bellow for the other definitions of Equal and Identical

  1. Equal as an adjective (not comparable):

    The same in all respects.

    Examples:

    "'Equal conditions should produce equal results."

    "All men are created equal."

  2. Equal as an adjective (mathematics, not comparable):

    Exactly identical, having the same value.

    Examples:

    "All right angles are equal."

  3. Equal as an adjective (obsolete):

    Fair, impartial.

  4. Equal as an adjective (comparable):

    Adequate; sufficiently capable or qualified.

    Examples:

    "This test is pretty tough, but I think I'm equal to it."

  5. Equal as an adjective (obsolete):

    Not variable; equable; uniform; even.

    Examples:

    "an equal movement"

  6. Equal as an adjective (music):

    Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; not mixed.

  1. Equal as a verb (mathematics):

    To be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to.

    Examples:

    "Two plus two equals four."

  2. Equal as a verb:

    To be equivalent to; to match

    Examples:

    "David equaled the water level of the bottles, so they now both contain exactly 1 liter."

  3. Equal as a verb (informal):

    To have as its consequence.

    Examples:

    "Losing this deal equals losing your job."

    "Might does not equal right."

  1. Equal as a noun:

    A person or thing of equal status to others.

    Examples:

    "We're all equals here."

    "This beer has no equal."

  2. Equal as a noun (obsolete):

    State of being equal; equality.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Spenser"

  1. Identical as an adjective (not comparable):

    Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.

  2. Identical as an adjective (not comparable):

    Not different or other; not another or others; not different as regards self; selfsame; numerically identical.

  3. Identical as an adjective (not comparable, biology):

    Of twins, sharing the same genetic code.

  4. Identical as an adjective (not comparable, mathematics):

    Exactly equivalent.

  5. Identical as an adjective (comparable, rare):

    Approximating or approaching exact equivalence.

  1. Identical as a noun (usually, pluralized, chiefly, philosophy):

    Something which has exactly the same properties as something else.

  2. Identical as a noun:

    An identical twin.

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