to separate (a material or abstract entity) into constituent parts or elements; determine the elements or essential features of (opposed to synthesize): to analyze an argument.
to examine critically, so as to bring out the essential elements or give the essence of: to analyze a poem.
to examine carefully and in detail so as to identify causes, key factors, possible results, etc.
to subject to mathematical, chemical, grammatical, etc., analysis.
to psychoanalyze: a patient who has been analyzed by two therapists.
Also especially British, an·a·lyse.
Origin of analyze
1595–1605; back formation from analysis (or from its Latin or Gk sources), with -ys- taken as -ize
Related formsan·a·lyz·a·ble, adjectivean·a·lyz·a·bil·i·ty, nounan·a·ly·za·tion, nounmis·an·a·lyze, verb (used with object),mis·an·a·lyzed,mis·an·a·lyz·ing.non·an·a·lyz·a·ble, adjectivenon·an·a·lyzed, adjectiveo·ver·an·a·lyze, verb,o·ver·an·a·lyzed,o·ver·an·a·lyz·ing.re·an·a·lyz·a·ble, adjectivere·an·a·lyze, verb (used with object),re·an·a·lyzed,re·an·a·lyz·ing.un·an·a·lyz·a·ble, adjectiveun·an·a·lyz·a·bly, adverbun·an·a·lyzed, adjectiveun·an·a·lyz·ing, adjectivewell-an·a·lyzed, adjective
chiefly British English spelling of analyze (q.v.).
Analyse is better than analyze, but merely as being the one of the two equally indefensible forms that has won. The correct but now impossible form would be analysize (or analysise), with analysist for existing analyst. [Fowler]
analyze
v.
c.1600, "to dissect," from French analyser, from analyse (see analysis). Literature sense is attested from 1610s; meaning in chemistry dates from 1660s. General sense of "to examine closely" dates from 1809; psychological sense is from 1909. Related: Analyzed; analyzing.
