Definitions for analogy
əˈnæl ə dʒianal·o·gy

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.3 / 3 votes

1. analogynoun

   an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others

2. analogynoun

   drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect

   "the operation of a computer presents and interesting analogy to the working of the brain"; "the models show by analogy how matter is built up"

3. doctrine of analogy, analogynoun

   the religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequate

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 2 votes

1. analogynoun

   A relationship of resemblance or equivalence between two situations, people, or objects, especially when used as a basis for explanation or extrapolation.

2. Etymology: From analogia, from ἀναλογία, from ἀνά + λόγος

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ANALOGYnoun

   Etymology: ἀναλογια.

   1. Resemblance between things with regard to some circumstances or effects; as, learning is said to enlighten the mind; that is, it is to the mind what light is to the eye, by enabling it to discover that which was hidden before.

   From God it hath proceeded, that the church hath evermore held a prescript form of common prayer, although not in all things every where the same, yet, for the most part, retaining the same analogy. Richard Hooker, b. v. § 25.

   What I here observe of extraordinary revelation and prophecy, will, by analogy and due proportion, extend even to those communications of God’s will, that are requisite to salvation. South.

   2. When the thing to which the analogy is supposed, happens to be mentioned, analogy has after it the particles to or with; when both the things are mentioned after analogy, the particle between or betwixt is used.

   If the body politick have any analogy to the natural, an act of oblivion were necessary in a hot distemper’d state. John Dryden, Absalom and Achitop. Pref. to.

   By analogy with all other liquors and concretions, the form of the chaos, whether liquid or concrete, could not be the same with that of the present earth. Thomas Burnet, Theory of the Earth.

   If we make him express the customs of our country, rather than of Rome, it is either when there was some analogy betwixt the customs, or to make him more easy to vulgar understanding. John Dryden, Juvenal, Dedication.

   3. By grammarians, it is used to signify the agreement of several words in one common mode; as, from love is formed loved, from hate, hated, from grieve, grieved.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. analogy

   Analogy is a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification, highlighting similarities in some characteristics despite their other dissimilarities. It is a form of reasoning or argument where one thing is inferred to be similar to another thing in a particular aspect, based on the known similarity in other aspects.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Analogynoun

   a resemblance of relations; an agreement or likeness between things in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different. Thus, learning enlightens the mind, because it is to the mind what light is to the eye, enabling it to discover things before hidden

2. Analogynoun

   a relation or correspondence in function, between organs or parts which are decidedly different

3. Analogynoun

   proportion; equality of ratios

4. Analogynoun

   conformity of words to the genius, structure, or general rules of a language; similarity of origin, inflection, or principle of pronunciation, and the like, as opposed to anomaly

5. Etymology: [L. analogia, Gr. , fr. : cf. F. analogie. See Analogous.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Analogy

   Analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject, and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process. In a narrower sense, analogy is an inference or an argument from one particular to another particular, as opposed to deduction, induction, and abduction, where at least one of the premises or the conclusion is general. The word analogy can also refer to the relation between the source and the target themselves, which is often, though not necessarily, a similarity, as in the biological notion of analogy. Analogy plays a significant role in problem solving such as, decision making, perception, memory, creativity, emotion, explanation and communication. It lies behind basic tasks such as the identification of places, objects and people, for example, in face perception and facial recognition systems. It has been argued that analogy is "the core of cognition". Specific analogical language comprises exemplification, comparisons, metaphors, similes, allegories, and parables, but not metonymy. Phrases like and so on, and the like, as if, and the very word like also rely on an analogical understanding by the receiver of a message including them. Analogy is important not only in ordinary language and common sense but also in science, philosophy and the humanities. The concepts of association, comparison, correspondence, mathematical and morphological homology, homomorphism, iconicity, isomorphism, metaphor, resemblance, and similarity are closely related to analogy. In cognitive linguistics, the notion of conceptual metaphor may be equivalent to that of analogy.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Analogy

   an-al′o-ji, n. an agreement or correspondence in certain respects between things otherwise different—a resemblance of relations, as in the phrase, 'Knowledge is to the mind what light is to the eye:' relation in general: likeness: (geom.) proportion or the equality of ratios: (gram.) 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.—adjs. Analog′ical, Anal′ogic.—adv. Analog′ically.—v.t. Anal′ogise, to explain or consider by analogy:—pr.p. anal′ogīsing; pa.p. anal′ogīsed.—ns. Anal′ogism (obs.), investigation by analogy: argument from cause to effect; Anal′ogist, one who adheres to analogy; Anal′ogon = analogue.—adj. Anal′ogous, having analogy: bearing some correspondence with or resemblance to: similar in certain circumstances or relations (with to).—adv. Anal′ogously.—ns. Anal′ogousness; An′alogue, a word or body bearing analogy to, or resembling, another: (biol.) a term used to denote physiological, independent of morphological resemblance.—Organs are analogous to one another, or are analogues, when they perform the same function, though they may be altogether different in structure; as the wings of a bird and the wings of an insect. Again, organs are homologous, or homologues, when they are constructed on the same plan, undergo a similar development, and bear the same relative position, and this independent of either form or function. Thus the arms of a man and the wings of a bird are homologues of one another, while the wing of a bird and the wing of a bat are both analogous and homologous. [Gr. ana, according to, and logos, ratio.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. analogy

   Resemblance, relation, or equality; a similitude of ratios or proportions.

Matched Categories

1. • Comparison
   • Inference
   • Religion

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'analogy' in Nouns Frequency: #2844

How to pronounce analogy?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say analogy in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of analogy in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of analogy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of analogy in a Sentence

1. Adam Green:

   In a business analogy the question is how do you scale, i look at( those) performances as a trial market, and then the question is how do you scale your production to a national audience and national market ?

2. Stephen Mihm:

   When we think about the changes that the pandemic has brought in our lives in the past year, there's a tendency to view this as exceptional or unprecedented, where, in fact, there have been previous times where Americans have found themselves with an unexpected amount of time on their hands, the best analogy, really, is the Great Depression.

3. Jim Bognet:

   Ted Cruz is a tough, relentless campaigner, however, to make a Texas analogy, Cruz won a big upset in the Big 12 championship game. But now he is in the NFL, and those guys are fast, big and smart, and they hit really hard.

4. Bob Bolus:

   I'll give you an analogy of that of a giant boa constrictor, that basically squeezes you, chokes you and it swallows you, and that's what we're going to do the D.C.

5. Charles Woodburn:

   I think the UK government has an open mind on this and will keep an open mind, our view is that it's a team sport building next generation systems and to use a footballing analogy you really do want the strongest players around the table and that's in all of our interests to do that.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=analogy
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Analogy
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=analogy
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/analogy
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=analogy
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=analogy
8. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=analogy