analog

American  

[an-l-awg, -og] / ˈæn lˌɔg, -ˌɒg /

noun

1. analogue.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a mechanism, device, or technology that represents data by measurement of a continuous physical variable, as voltage or pressure.

2. displaying a readout by a pointer or hands on a dial rather than by numerical digits.

   an analog clock.

3. relating to or denoting an activity, process, etc., that is not online or computerized but that can also exist or happen with the help of such technology: She prefers analog dating, meeting and getting to know someone first in a real-life setting before deciding whether to pursue a personal relationship.

   In most ways, the grocery industry has remained stubbornly analog for the past few decades.

   She prefers analog dating, meeting and getting to know someone first in a real-life setting before deciding whether to pursue a personal relationship.

analog British  

/ ˈænəˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of analogue

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analog Scientific  

/ ăn′ə-lôg′ /

1. Measuring or representing data by means of one or more physical properties that can express any value along a continuous scale. For example, the position of the hands of a clock is an analog representation of time.

2. Compare digital

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1. An organ or structure that is similar in function to one in another kind of organism but is of dissimilar evolutionary origin. The wings of birds and the wings of insects are analogs.

2. A chemical compound that has a similar structure and similar chemical properties to those of another compound, but differs from it by a single element or group. The antibiotic amoxicillin, for example, is an analog of penicillin, differing from the latter by the addition of an amino group.

3. Compare homologue

Usage

The spelling analog is a US variant of analogue in all its senses, and is also the generally preferred spelling in the computer industry

Etymology

Origin of analog

First recorded in 1955–60; analogue ( def. )

Explanation

Analog is the opposite of digital. Any technology, such as vinyl records or clocks with hands and faces, that doesn't break everything down into binary code to work is analog. Analog, you might say, is strictly old school. The original definition of analog is something that is similar to something else; the two are said to be analogous. In technological terms, it means something that has an output that's proportional or similar to its input — usually a voltage. Anything digital is the exact opposite: whatever comes out the other end bears no relationship to the soup of binary code that goes in. The word can also be spelled analogue.

Example Sentences

These atoms act as qubits—the basic units of information in a quantum computer—that can operate in both analog and digital modes.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“Rooster,” on the other hand, is the story of an analog middle-aged man, Steve Carell’s Greg Russo, who has much in common with Lawrence’s other better-loved heroes.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

These analog games build community, are tactile, and highly experiential.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Live DJs spin records on a set of turntables, which helps to create a richer and more analog sound that is closer to the original track than compressed versions such as MP3s.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

For flat runs, he had the Norden bombsight, an extremely sophisticated analog computer that, at $8,000, cost more than twice the price of the average American home.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand

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