social-security number

A form of social security number — A nine-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration to citizens, permanent residents, and certain temporary workers, primarily to track people for taxation purposes, and in recent years serving as a de facto national identification number.

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Meanings

nounsocial-security number (plural social-security numbers)

plural social-security numbers

  1. alternativeAlternative form of social security number.

    Charles Wilson figured it was going to be easy to remember his social-security number. It was tattooed on his shoulder.

    1937 September 3, Associated Press, “Government Problem”, in Shreveport Journal, volume 41, number 207, Shreveport, La., page nineteen
    2 more examples

    The agency also pointed to neighbor Bulgaria, which requires users to give their name, address, and a social-security number.

    2016 March 30, Alison Mutler, “Prime minister says extremists used prepaid cards bought in Romania”, in Miami Herald, volume 113, number 198, page 15A, column 3

    A social-security number is not required to apply, tenants can qualify regardless of immigration status, and an eviction notice is not needed.

    2022 April 14, Alena Kuzub, “Emergency-Rental Assistance Program expires on Friday”, in The Daily Item, volume 142, number 418, Lynn, Mass., page A6, column 6
Cite this entry
APA

social-security number. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social-security%20number

MLA

“social-security number.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social-security%20number. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “social-security number,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social-security%20number.

Source: social-security number on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.