analogue

an·a·logue | \ ˈa-nə-ˌlȯg

, -ˌläg \

variants: or analog

Definition of analogue

(Entry 1 of 2)

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)

analogue

an·a·logue

Definition of analogue (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly British spelling of analog

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Did You Know?

Noun

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).

Examples of analogue in a Sentence

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 The first stage is already underway, with the construction of a demonstration quantum network that will connect four cities in the Netherlands — a kind of Arpanet analogue. — Quanta Magazine, "To Invent a Quantum Internet," 1 Oct. 2019 In any case, the film’s Nowak analogue is astronaut Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) who has a mind-blowing experience during her NASA trip to outer space. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "Lucy in the Sky fails to find human drama amidst cosmic spectacle," 2 Oct. 2019 But with critiques of capitalism’s distributional failures at the center of public discourse, there are also sweeping challenges to address: Namely, can the orbital economy be structured better than its terrestrial analogue? — Tim Fernholz, Quartz at Work, "Can NASA develop a space economy that leaves capitalism’s problems behind?," 16 Dec. 2019 What’s more, its immediate spending requirements may be more analogue than digital. — Chris Hughes | Bloomberg, Washington Post, "Pep Guardiola Gets a $4.8 Billion Price Tag From Silicon Valley," 27 Nov. 2019 More accommodating vegetarians took a practical view, cooking and commercializing meat substitutes like Protose or Millennium Meat, both high-protein meat analogues largely composed of nuts and grains. — Adrienne Bitar, Time, "The Turkey Has Been the Subject of Thanksgiving-Day Arguments for Longer Than You Probably Think," 28 Nov. 2019 The rules created for analogue democracies offer a relatively uncontroversial starting-point for digital ones. — The Economist, "Democracy and the internet How to police political advertising," 28 Nov. 2019 In front of the driver and behind the (much improved) multifunction steering wheel are a pair of bright, clear displays either side of a conventional analogue tachometer. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Evolution, not revolution, for the new 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S," 8 Nov. 2019 There are some options, though, that may be a bit better for long-term use, including retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) and vitamin D analogues. — Jenna Birch, SELF, "How to Find the Right Psoriasis Treatment for Your Symptoms," 28 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'analogue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

21 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Analogue.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/analogues. Accessed 22 January 2020.

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More Definitions for analogue

analogue

noun