- 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
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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Ungifted
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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.
“Read the proposed rule. We require a rigorous, objective, thorough and analytical fiduciary process that must be documented.”
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
“We’re having to re-examine even how we think about what causes inflation, and that makes it a particularly challenging analytical moment for us,” Kashkari said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
Bio-Techne provides analytical technologies and life science tools used by researchers and drug manufacturers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
In 1957, Greenspan burnished his reputation as an analytical whiz when he warned the chief executive of a large steel company that inventories were oversaturated and a recession was likely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
And what the test is measuring isn’t analytical intelligence but something profoundly different—something much closer to creativity.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
