deidentify
|de-i-den-ti-fy|
/diːaɪˈdɛntɪfaɪ/
remove identifying information
Etymology
'deidentify' originates from modern English, formed by the prefix 'de-' (meaning 'remove' or 'reverse') added to 'identify' (the verb).
'identify' traces back to Late Latin 'identificare' (from Latin 'idem' meaning 'the same' + 'facere' meaning 'to make'), entered English via French/Latin influence and became Middle/Modern English 'identify'; 'deidentify' is a recent English formation (20th century onward) coined in computing, medical, and privacy contexts by attaching 'de-' to 'identify'.
The components originally conveyed 'make the same' (identify) and 'remove' (de-); combined in modern usage to mean 'remove identifying characteristics' — a meaning that arose with data/privacy practices and has remained stable.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or result of deidentifying; removal or masking of identifiers from data or material.
Deidentification of the dataset took several hours to ensure compliance with privacy rules.
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Verb 1
to remove or obscure identifying information (such as names, ID numbers, or other direct identifiers) from data, records, or materials so that individuals cannot readily be identified.
The hospital deidentified patient records before sharing them with researchers.
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Last updated: 2025/12/03 11:10