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analogy

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
a·nal·o·gy  (-nl-j)
n. pl. a·nal·o·gies
1.
a. Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.
b. A comparison based on such similarity. See Synonyms at likeness.
2. Biology Correspondence in function or position between organs of dissimilar evolutionary origin or structure.
3. A form of logical inference or an instance of it, based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects, then they must be alike in other respects.
4. Linguistics The process by which words or morphemes are re-formed or created on the model of existing grammatical patterns in a language, often leading to greater regularity in paradigms, as evidenced by helped replacing holp and holpen as the past tense and past participle of help on the model of verbs such as yelp, yelped, yelped.

[Middle English analogie, from Old French, from Latin analogia, from Greek analogi, from analogos, proportionate; see analogous.]

analogy [əˈnælədʒɪ]
n pl -gies
1. agreement or similarity, esp in a certain limited number of features or details
2. a comparison made to show such a similarity to draw an analogy between an atom and the solar system
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Biology the relationship between analogous organs or parts
4. (Philosophy / Logic) 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
5. (Linguistics) 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
[from Greek analogia ratio, correspondence, from analogos analogous]
analogical  [ˌænəˈlɒdʒɪkəl], analogic adj
analogically  adv
analogist  n

analogy
an agreement or correspondence in particular features between things otherwise dissimilar; in literature, the basis for metaphor and simile. — analogie, analogical, adj.
See also: Agreement
an agreement or correspondence in particular features between things otherwise dissimilar; the inference that if two things agree with each other in one or more respects, they will probably agree in yet other respects. — analogous, adj.
See also: Argumentation
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.analogyanalogy - an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others
illation, inference - the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
2.analogy - 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"
comparing, comparison - the act of examining resemblances; "they made a comparison of noise levels"; "the fractions selected for comparison must require pupils to consider both numerator and denominator"
3.analogy - 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
faith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality"

analogy
noun similarity, relation, comparison, parallel, correspondence, resemblance, correlation, likeness, equivalence, homology, similitude The analogy between music and fragrance has stuck.
Translations
analogy [əˈnælədʒɪ] Nanalogía f; (= similarity) → semejanza f
by analogy with; on the analogy ofpor analogía con
to argue from or by analogyrazonar por analogía
to draw an analogy betweenseñalar una semejanza entre
analogy [əˈnælədʒi] nanalogie f
to draw an analogy between sth and sth → établir une analogie entre qch et qch
by analogy → par analogie
anal-retentive [ˌeɪnəlrəˈtɛntɪv] adj
(PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHIATRY)qui fait une fixation au stade anal
(pejorative)maniaque
analogy
nAnalogie f; arguing by analogy one could claim that …analog könnte man behaupten; to draw an analogyeine Analogie herstellen, einen analogen Vergleich ziehen; on the analogy ofanalog zu, nach dem Muster (+gen); it’s an argument by analogyes ist ein Analogiebeweis, es ist eine analoge Argumentation
analogy [əˈnælədʒɪ] nanalogia
to draw an analogy between → fare un'analogia tra


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The accursed shark alone can in any generic respect be said to bear comparative analogy to him.
It is all plain and simple, and in strict accordance with Analogy -- only, by the way, you must not speak of the result as being a Figure, but as a Solid.
Analogy or proportion is when the second term is to the first as the fourth to the third.
 
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