Abstract 
 Background. The problem of national identity became relevant in connection with the development of an independent, sovereign Ukrainian state. The verbalized concept of «identity» is understood in broad historical and geopolitical contexts, projecting conclusions on public policy, socio-economic situation, national and cultural processes in society. The linguo-cognitive meaning of the term «national identity2, used in scientific and literary texts, needs to be studied.
 Purpose. To analyze the lexical semantics of the word identity in the modern Ukrainian literary language, to identify features of its interpretation in lexicographic sources, to trace the functioning of the phrase national identity in scientific texts and to outline the specifics of verbalization of «identity», «mentality» in the literary text.
 Methods. The study uses a method of comparative analysis of dictionary interpretations of register words identical, identity to substantiate the stylistic marker book (word) in modern Ukrainian literary language, as well as contextual – interpretive method for structuring the meaning of the term national identity, identifying features of verbalization in scientific and literary texts.
 Results. The verbalized term «identity» common in the modern humanities, in particular its semantic structure, needs to be clarified in the context of terminological meaning in relation to the representatives of the nation, national culture, i.e. national identity. Dictionaries of foreign words published at different times, explanatory dictionaries of the modern Ukrainian language do not fix the terminological meaning of the lexical item identity, semantically related to the concept of «nation». A characteristic feature of identity involves a logical process of conferring, comparing of objects, phenomena, concepts and identifying a common feature – the same, identical content, as evidenced by the phrases given in dictionaries. In contrast to the illustrations recorded in lexicographical sources, the phrase national identity actualized in modern literary language indicates a higher degree of abstraction: the feature represents the synthesis of common (indicating common features inherent in a certain nation) and different (seme of opposition to other nations with their identical features). Modern scientific texts in the humanities expand the combination of words identical, identity that form new phrases, acquiring a new terminological meaning in the system of concepts of history, philosophy, political science, sociology, culturology, linguistics.
 Synonymization of the words nation, ethnos in modern scientific and journalistic discourse has led to the parallel use of the phrases national identity and ethnic identity that identify the meaning of the lexical items nation, ethnos. Studiers often include the following concepts in the differential features of national identity: territory, religion, language. However, their assessment and identification role in relation to the integrity of the Ukrainian nation is defined differently. In discussions about the modern Ukrainian nation, the concepts of national (state), ethnic, historical, territorial, linguistic, cultural identity are distinguished. The concept of national identity is related to the linguo-pragmatic meaning of the term mentality, interpreted differently in scientific and literary contexts. The Ukrainian literary language has historically formed a word-forming series that combines words with the component SELF: self-consciousness, self-identification, identity, self-sufficiency, self-discovery, self-realization, self-affirmation, self-understanding, self-realization, self-correction, self-preservation, self-determination, self-humiliation, self-identity. The logical and psychological meaning of these nominations is correlated with the terms national identity, mentality.
 Discussion. The formation of an independent state has actualized the theme of national identity in the context of modern globalization. Linguistic analysis (lexical-semantic, linguo-cognitive) is supplemented by a contextual interpretation of the content of the terminological concept of «national identity». In scientific (historical, culturological, ethnological) texts the interpretation of varieties of identity with the focus on the concepts of «national» and «ethnic» identity is traced. The conclusion about the historical variability of the category of national identity is made. The authors of modern historical studies connect the phenomenon of national identity with the creation of the modern Ukrainian nation. 
 Comparison of scientific and artistic interpretation of the concept of national identity opens the prospect of studying the types of identities and linguo-cognitive structuring of each of them.