- a variation of analytic.
analytical
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of analytical
First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin analyticus analytic ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
What do Sherlock Holmes and Albert Einstein have in common? (No, this is not the start of a joke.) They were both analytical — meaning they were good at breaking down problems into smaller parts to find solutions. The adjective, analytical, and the related verb analyze can both be traced back to the Greek verb, analyein — "to break up, to loosen." If you are analytical, you are good at taking a problem or task and breaking it down into smaller elements in order to solve the problem or complete the task. The opposite type of problem-solving is called the intuitive approach in which a person senses the correct action to take without proof or reasoning. Analytic can be substituted for analytical in this sense.
Vocabulary lists containing analytical
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ungifted
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The first study, published in the journal TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, looked at both microplastics and nanoplastics, or particles that are less than 1 micrometer long.
From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025
Olympic Analytical Laboratory, which he started two years before the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and led until 2007.
From New York Times • Feb. 15, 2024
Then Hinckley and his co-authors set about the lengthy process of conducting genetic analysis on the 85 tissue samples in Doñana Biological Station's ancient DNA laboratory and the museum's Laboratories of Analytical Biology.
From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023
The federal employee chapter of the nearly 300-page Analytical Perspectives, a narrative section of the budget released Monday, outlines his four-point strategy “to strengthen and empower the Federal workforce.”
From Washington Post • Mar. 16, 2023
No Mathematics—No Algebra with its "Binomial Theorem;" no plane Geometry with its fascinating "Pons Asinorum"; No Trigonometry with its sines and co-sines; no Descriptive or Analytical Geometry with planes of reference, etc.
From On the Trail of Deserters A Phenomenal Capture by Carter, Captain Robert Goldthwaite
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
