- 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.
Both of those professions require analytical thinking - a gift Bielsa also possessed from childhood.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
The company provides advanced analytical instruments, software, and laboratory services for scientists, clinicians, and researchers for the development of new pharmaceuticals and disease diagnosis.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
Outside students from a liberal arts college are practiced in abstract analytical thinking—how institutions are made, what purpose they serve, for whom.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
When that failed, he focused on preventing the fights from changing the Fed’s analytical, evidence-driven culture.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
And, critically, it is a kind of intelligence separate from the sort of analytical ability measured by IQ.
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.
