analysis

[ uh-nal-uh-sis ]

noun

, plural a·nal·y·ses [uh, -, nal, -, uh, -seez].

1. the separating of any material or abstract entity into its constituent elements ( synthesis ).
2. this process as a method of studying the nature of something or of determining its essential features and their relations:

   the grammatical analysis of a sentence.

3. a presentation, usually in writing, of the results of this process:

   The paper published an analysis of the political situation.

4. a philosophical method of exhibiting complex concepts or propositions as compounds or functions of more basic ones.
5. Mathematics.
   1. an investigation based on the properties of numbers.
   2. the discussion of a problem by algebra, as opposed to geometry.
   3. the branch of mathematics consisting of calculus and its higher developments.
   4. a system of calculation, as combinatorial analysis or vector analysis.
   5. a method of proving a proposition by assuming the result and working backward to something that is known to be true. Compare synthesis ( def 4 ).
6. Chemistry.
   1. intentionally produced decomposition or separation of materials into their ingredients or elements, as to find their kind or quantity.
   2. the ascertainment of the kind or amount of one or more of the constituents of materials, whether obtained in separate form or not. Compare qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis.
7. psychoanalysis.
8. Computers. systems analysis.

analysis

/ əˈnælɪsɪs /

noun

1. See synthesis
   the division of a physical or abstract whole into its constituent parts to examine or determine their relationship or value Compare synthesis
2. a statement of the results of this
3. See psychoanalysis
   short for psychoanalysis
4. chem
   1. the decomposition of a substance into its elements, radicals, or other constituents in order to determine the kinds of constituents present ( qualitative analysis ) or the amount of each constituent ( quantitative analysis )
   2. the result obtained by such a determination
5. See synthesis
   linguistics the use of word order together with word function to express syntactic relations in a language, as opposed to the use of inflections Compare synthesis
6. maths the branch of mathematics principally concerned with the properties of functions, largely arising out of calculus
7. philosophy (in the writings of Kant) the separation of a concept from another that contains it Compare synthesis
8. in the last analysis
   in the last analysisin the final analysisin the ultimate analysis after everything has been given due consideration

analysis

/ ə-năl′ĭ-sĭs /

1. The separation of a substance into its constituent elements, usually by chemical means, for the study and identification of each component.
2. ◆ Qualitative analysis determines what substances are present in a compound.
3. ◆ Quantitative analysis determines how much of each substance is present in a compound.
4. A branch of mathematics concerned with limits and convergence and principally involving differential calculus, integral calculus, sequences, and series.

Other Words From

• misa·naly·sis noun plural misanalyses
• over·a·naly·sis noun plural overanalyses
• rea·naly·sis noun plural reanalyses

Word History and Origins

Origin of analysis¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from New Latin, from Greek, equivalent to analȳ́(ein) “to loosen up” ( ana- “up, against, back” + lȳ́ein “to loosen”) + -sis noun suffix; ana-, -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of analysis¹

C16: from New Latin, from Greek analusis, literally: a dissolving, from analuein, from ana- + luein to loosen

Example Sentences

Sediment analyses suggest ancient people reached the lake during a dry stretch when the region’s rivers and lakes were shrinking.

From Science News

The robot lives inside the silo and dives into its contents when it’s time to offer analysis.

From TechCrunch

That rate charged is unusually high for a rental home in the area, according to an analysis of local real estate listings.

From Washington Post

O’Brien, appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Sunday, offered a starkly different public analysis than the one he had shared privately with the president just days earlier.

From Washington Post

For this analysis, we’ll study the ten highest-market-cap tech companies in the Nasdaq 100.

From Fortune

Analysis of the 2014 vote showed that Democrats had been hurt by an abrupt drop in Latino turnout.

From The Daily Beast

Once successfully in, I can see my Hash 160 and Taint Analysis, among other things.

From The Daily Beast

Jeff Stier is Director of the Risk Analysis Division, of the National Center for Public Policy Research.

From The Daily Beast

“How the Faithful Voted: 2012 Preliminary Analysis,” at the Pew Forum.

From The Daily Beast

"It could be anything," said Costin Raiu, director of Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team.

From The Daily Beast

Analysis and practice in preparation are the steps over which we must climb to the platform of power.

From Project Gutenberg

Recollective Analysis, or Analysis for the purpose of helping to learn by heart, is not an originating or manufacturing process.

From Project Gutenberg

It is either thoughtless repetition, or thoughtful Analysis that he must use.

From Project Gutenberg

At all events, let him if possible learn each of the three Groups by his own Analysis, looking at my work afterwards.

From Project Gutenberg

Now the practice of Interrogative Analysis compels such persons to interrogate—to propose questions—to think.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• evaluation
• finding
• interpretation
• judgment
• opinion
• reasoning
• report
• study
• summary

What Is The Plural Of Analysis?

Plural word for analysis

The plural form of analysis is analyses, pronounced [ uh–nal–uh-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in the same way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. 

Irregular plurals that are formed like analyses derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek. 

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