analogue

American  

[an-l-awg, -og] / ˈæn lˌɔg, -ˌɒg /

Or analog

noun

1. something having analogy to something else.

2. Biology. an organ or part analogous to another.

3. Chemistry. one of a group of chemical compounds similar in structure but different in respect to elemental composition.

4. a food made from vegetable matter, especially soybeans, that has been processed to taste and look like another food, as meat or dairy, and is used as a substitute for it.

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analogue British  

/ ˈænəˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. 1. a physical object or quantity, such as a pointer on a dial or a voltage, used to measure or represent another quantity

   2. ( as modifier )

      analogue watch

      analogue recording

2. something analogous to something else

3. biology an analogous part or organ

4. chem

   1. an organic chemical compound related to another by substitution of hydrogen atoms with alkyl groups

      toluene is an analogue of benzene

   2. an organic compound that is similar in structure to another organic compound

      thiols are sulphur analogues of alcohols

5. informal a person who is afraid of using new technological devices Compare digital native digital immigrant

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Etymology

Origin of analogue

1820–30; < French < Greek análogon, neuter of análogos analogous; replacing earlier analogon < Greek

Explanation

Think of analogue as referring to something parallel or comparable to something else. For example, a lobster's claw might be considered an analogue to the human hand, as both have similar functions of grabbing and holding. Keep your claws to yourself! The word analogue (also spelled analog) comes from the Greek ana, meaning "up to," and logos, meaning, among other things, "ratio" and "proportion." In 1946, it entered computer language as an adjective to describe a type of signal that is continuous in amplitude. It has since been largely replaced by a digital signal. Analogues are often used in college entrance exams, i.e., "a is to b as c is to d."

Example Sentences

The top five manufacturers were all American, including Analogue Devices, Texas Instruments and Intel.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2023

Analogue dads will delight in the richness of a luxury pencil.

From New York Times • Jun. 10, 2023

But a few specialty houses — the Kansas-based Analogue Productions, London’s Electric Recording Co. and MoFi among them — have long advocated for the warmth of analog.

From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2022

The world’s first video game is coming to an Analogue Pocket near you.

From The Verge • Jul. 29, 2022

It is in this latter sense, that it is the Analogue of the Bone.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

Related Words

• analog