analog

1 of 2

adjective

an·​a·​log ˈa-nə-ˌlȯg 

-ˌläg

1

a

: of, relating to, or being a mechanism or device in which information is represented by continuously variable physical quantities

Your speakers are analog technology in all its nearly century-old glory … . As the speakers get their signals from the cables, the drivers vibrate in a continual state of flux as the changing analog signals are fed to them. The drivers are presenting an analogy of what came from the original source, even if the source started off digital, such as a CD.

—Ron Goldberg

b

: of or relating to an analog computer

In an analog machine each number is represented by a suitable physical quantity, whose value, measured in some pre-assigned unit, is equal to the number in question.

—The World Treasury Of Physics

c

of a timepiece : having both hour and minute hands

an analog watch

d

: not digital : not computerized

Of course, it's possible to meet someone online, but it's just as tough as the old, analog ways.

—Anita Hamilton

2

: of, relating to, or being an analogue

analog

2 of 2

noun

an·​a·​log

variant spelling of analogue entry 1

1

: something that is similar or comparable to something else either in general or in some specific detail : something that is analogous to something else

historical analogues to the current situation

an aspirin analogue

2

: an organ or part similar in function to an organ or part of another animal or plant but different in structure and origin

The gill of a fish is the analogue of the lung of a cat.

3

usually analog : a chemical compound that is structurally similar to another but differs slightly in composition (as in the replacement of one atom by an atom of a different element or in the presence of a particular functional group)

4

: a food product made by combining a less expensive food (such as soybeans or whitefish) with additives to give the appearance and taste of a more expensive food (such as beef or crab)

Example Sentences

Adjective

Telephone lines carry data in analog form.

It receives an analog video signal and converts it to a digital signal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

How could a thing so synonymous with the digital revolution, the computer, ever have been analog? —Jason Kehe, Wired, 8 July 2020

Those seeking a bit of an edge in competitive games can benefit from the addition of attachable back paddles, multiple analog stick types, and fully mappable controls—including the ability to minutely manage controller dead zones. —Billy Givens, Popular Mechanics, 3 Mar. 2023

These earthy, analog metaphors, though, betray the centuries between us and the monks who wrote them. —Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2023

The instrument panel keeps it fairly simple, too, with analog dials for the speed and tach and a vehicle-data display in the center. —Dallas News, 21 Jan. 2023

Puzzles are the ultimate screen-free activity, and the pandemic definitely had many people rediscovering their love for this fun, analog form of entertainment. —Micki Wagner, Popular Mechanics, 20 Jan. 2023

For a generation new to vinyl records, the Sound Burger is a doorway to the joy of analog music. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2023

Often regarded as the last in a quartet of analog supercars from the Prancing Horse, its predecessors include the 288 GTO, F40 and F50. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2022

There are custom watch faces to choose from too: both digital and analog options. —Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 28 Nov. 2022

Noun

But Emily cannot be reduced to this titillating analog for Heathcliff and Cathy, or really to any one relationship in Emily’s life. —K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2023

The arid desert has long been considered a Mars analog for scientists — even more so when researchers came across the desert’s Red Stone Jurassic fossil delta. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Feb. 2023

The entry-level smartwatch has an analog watch face but packs a plethora of health and fitness features, including the ability to track heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep metrics, and more. —Brenda Stolyar Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2023

Wired headphones use an analog connection to transfer sound from the headphone jack on your device to the drivers in your ears. —Zoë Hannah, Popular Mechanics, 2 Feb. 2023

The Rocketbook Core is our top choice because the user experience is the most like an analog paper notebook. —Heidi Wachter, Treehugger, 23 Jan. 2023

In the years since, Dion recast her analog image for the Instagram era. —Dan Bilefsky, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2022

Tanner played keys on the album, adding evocative textures like Mellotron, Hammond organ, analog synth and electric piano. —Matt Wake | [e-mail], al, 14 Dec. 2022

There’s a place for electric, self-driving cars, sure, but here’s hoping there will always be a place for this most analog of automobiles. —Charlie Thomas, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from attributive use of analogue entry 1; (sense 1) after analog computer, in which physical quantities (as electrical potential or mechanical motion) are analogues of corresponding quantities in the problem to be solved

First Known Use

Adjective

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing analog

• analog computer

• analog computer