Dictionary

analogy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /əˈnæləd͡ʒi/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Latin analogia, from Ancient Greek ἀναλογίᾱ (analogíā), from ἀνα- (ana-) + λόγος (lógos, “speech, reckoning”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A relationship of resemblance or equivalence between two situations, people, or objects, especially when used as a basis for explanation or extrapolation.
   • A kid living on the street is a bit like — and please pardon the analogy here — a weed. 2002, Harlan Coben, Gone for Good, →ISBN, page 75:
   • The old analogy likening the human mind to an imperfect mirror, which modifies the images it reflects, occurred more than once to Odo. 1901, Edith Wharton, chapter 12, in The Valley of Decision:
   • Yet the systole and diastole of the heart are not without their analogy in the ebb and flow of love. 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, chapter 6, in Essays: First Series:
   • Is there any analogy, in certain constitutions, between keeping an umbrella up, and keeping the spirits up? 1869, Charles Dickens, chapter 18, in The Uncommercial Traveller:
   • Perhaps the easiest way to think of it is in terms of a simple analogy: hardware is to software as a television set is to the shows that appear on it. 1983 January 3, “How to Write Programs”, in Time:
2. (countable, uncountable) The proportion or the equality of ratios.
3. (countable, uncountable) The correspondence of a word or phrase with the genius of a language, as learned from the manner in which its words and phrases are ordinarily formed; similarity of derivative or inflectional processes.

Forms

Deriveds

analogize · counteranalogy · nonanalogy · analogal · proportional analogy · violinist analogy · false analogy · disanalogy · analogist

Relateds

parable · homology · metaphor · simile · analogue · parallelism · example

Translations (53)

ca analogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · es analogía (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ja アナロジー (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · hu analógia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · af analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · cmn 類比 /类比 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sh анало̀гија (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sw analojia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · el αναλογία (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sh analògija (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ru схо́дство (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · cmn 類似 /类似 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · nl analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · pt analogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ko 유추 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sh nȃlika (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · pl analogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · it somiglianza (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sl analogija (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · de Analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · tr analoji (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · id analogi (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · fi analogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · hy համաբանություն (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ga analach (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ar قِيَاس (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ar قِيَاس (grammar: similarity of derivative or inflectional processes) · uk анало́гія (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · cs analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sk analógia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · fa تشبیه (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ja 類似 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · it equivalenza (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · tl analohiya (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · hy անալոգիա (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · vi loại suy (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · fr analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · mt b’analoġija (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · bg подобие (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ja 類推 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · fa مانسته (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ro analogie (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · da analogi (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · eo analogio (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ja 類比 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · cmn 類推 /类推 (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · sv analogi (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · it analogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · et analoogia (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ru анало́гия (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · bg аналогия (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · vo naalog (relationship of resemblance or equivalence) · ru подо́бие (relationship of resemblance or equivalence)