analogue

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noun

an·a·logue ˈa-nə-ˌlȯg

-ˌläg

variants or analog

: 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

: 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.

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)

: 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)

analogue

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an·a·logue

chiefly British spelling of analog

Did you know?

The word analogue entered English from French in the 19th century and ultimately traces back to the Greek word logos, meaning "ratio." (The word analogy, which has been a part of English since the 15th century, also descends from logos.) The noun analogue is sometimes spelled analog, particularly when it refers to a chemical compound that is structurally similar to another but slightly different in composition. Adding to the confusion, there is also an adjective spelled analog, which came into use in the 20th century. The adjective can refer to something that is analogous (as in an analog organ), but it is most often used to distinguish analog electronics from digital electronics (as in an analog computer or an analog clock).

Example Sentences

Noun a modern analog to what happened before the synthetic analog of a chemical found in a tropical tree a meat analogue such as tofu

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That’s a good analogue for the global choices within the game. —

WIRED, 27 Mar. 2023 More expensive than Chevrolet analogue, most models guzzle gas, might not fit in your garage. —

Car and Driver, 22 Feb. 2023 On the new dual analogue setup for the Switch, both the visors and weapons switching is mapped to the D-pad, with the weapons accessed by holding the X button. —

Ollie Barder, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 The closest analogue to the US debt ceiling is the set-up in Denmark. —

Julia Horowitz, CNN, 9 May 2023 In August 2018, the Justice Department secured an indictment against a Shanghai father and son alleged to have exported deadly fentanyl analogues and other drugs to 25 countries and 37 states. —

Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023 Some rover analogues could not detect any organics in the Red Stone rocks while others found potential biosignatures such as amino acids—but only after treating the samples with chemical reagents that are in short supply on current Mars rovers. —

Derek Smith, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2023 One fentanyl analogue was found to be 10,000 times stronger than morphine, according to a 2021 US government report. —

Tara John, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023 The Russian government has never acknowledged using fentanyl, but one analysis published a decade after the incident concluded that the compound contained two fentanyl analogues. —

Lev Facher, STAT, 28 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'analogue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French, borrowed from Greek análogon "proportion, correspondence," noun derivative from neuter of análogos "proportionate, analogous"

First Known Use

Noun

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of analogue was in 1804

See more words from the same year