analogy

[ uh-nal-uh-jee ]
/ əˈnæl ə dʒi /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR analogy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural a·nal·o·gies.

a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based: the analogy between the heart and a pump.
similarity or comparability: I see no analogy between your problem and mine.
Biology. an analogous relationship.
Linguistics.
  1. the process by which words or phrases are created or re-formed according to existing patterns in the language, as when shoon was re-formed as shoes, when -ize is added to nouns like winter to form verbs, or when a child says foots for feet.
  2. a form resulting from such a process.
Logic. a form of reasoning in which one thing is inferred to be similar to another thing in a certain respect, on the basis of the known similarity between the things in other respects.

Origin of analogy

1530–40; < Latin analogia < Greek. See analogous, -y3

Words nearby analogy

analogous color, analogue, analogue clock, analogue recording, analogue-digital converter, analogy, analogy test, analphabet, analphabetic, analysand, analyse

Words related to analogy

comparison, metaphor, parallel, correlation, correspondence, similitude, semblance, likeness, relationship, simile, equivalence, affinity, resemblance, relation, homology

Example sentences from the Web for analogy

British Dictionary definitions for analogy

analogy
/ (əˈnælədʒɪ) /

noun plural -gies

agreement or similarity, esp in a certain limited number of features or details
a comparison made to show such a similarity to draw an analogy between an atom and the solar system
biology the relationship between analogous organs or parts
logic maths a form of reasoning in which a similarity between two or more things is inferred from a known similarity between them in other respects
linguistics imitation of existing models or regular patterns in the formation of words, inflections, etc a child may use ``sheeps'' as the plural of ``sheep'' by analogy with ``dog'', ``dogs'', ``cat'', ``cats'', etc

Derived forms of analogy

analogical (ˌænəˈlɒdʒɪkəl) or analogic, adjective analogically, adverb analogist, noun

Word Origin for analogy

C16: from Greek analogia ratio, correspondence, from analogos analogous

Cultural definitions for analogy

analogy
[ (uh-nal-uh-jee) ]

A comparison of two different things that are alike in some way (see metaphor and simile). An analogy attributed to Samuel Johnson is: “Dictionaries are like watches; the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to go quite true.”