analytic

1 of 2

adjective

an·​a·​lyt·​ic ˌa-nə-ˈli-tik 

variants or analytical

ˌa-nə-ˈli-ti-kəl 

1

: of or relating to analysis or analytics

especially : separating something into component parts or constituent elements

2

: being a proposition (such as "no bachelor is married") whose truth is evident from the meaning of the words it contains compare synthetic

3

: skilled in or using analysis especially in thinking or reasoning

a keenly analytic person/mind

an analytical study

4

linguistics : characterized by the use of function words rather than inflectional forms to express grammatical relationships

analytic languages

5

: psychoanalytic

6

mathematics : treated or treatable by or using the methods of algebra and calculus

7

mathematics

a

of a function of a real variable : capable of being expanded in a Taylor's series in powers of x − h in some neighborhood of the point h

b

of a function of a complex variable : differentiable at every point in some neighborhood of a given point

analytically

ˌa-nə-ˈli-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

analyticity

ˌa-nə-lə-ˈti-sə-tē 

noun

analyticity

2 of 2

noun

an·​a·​ly·​tic·​i·​ty ˌa-nə-lə-ˈti-sə-tē 

plural -es

: the nature, character, or property of being analytic

Synonyms of analytic

Adjective

• logical
• rational
• coherent
• reasonable
• valid
• good

Examples of analytic in a Sentence

Adjective

presented a very analytical argument for the defendant's guilt

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Cindi May, a psychology professor at the College of Charleston, told SELF that the brain does its best work during your on-period, particularly for demanding tasks like analytic thinking, sustained attention and filtering distractions. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026

As sequencing costs continue to fall and analytic tools continue to improve, the case for a comprehensive read of the fetal genome grows stronger with every study like this one. — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Perhaps more surprisingly, Anthropic has in recent weeks also picked up a Stanford economist, a theoretical physicist from the University of Maryland, and an analytic philosopher from UT Austin. — Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Each carries a different relationship to reliability and analytic judgment. — Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

analytic borrowed from Late Latin analyticus, borrowed from Greek analytikós, from analýein "to loosen, dissolve, resolve into constitutent elements" + -t-, verbal adjective formative + -ikos -ic entry 1; analytical from Late Latin analyticus + -al entry 1 — more at analysis

First Known Use

Adjective

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1905, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing analytic

• analytic geometry
• analytic philosophy
• analytic psychology
• self-analytic

Rhymes for analytic

• anxiolytic
• astrocytic
• austenitic
• catalytic
• cytolytic
• dioritic
• diphtheritic
• dolomitic
• endophytic
• epiphytic
• glauconitic
• glycolytic

Kids Definition

analytic

adjective

an·​a·​lyt·​ic ˌan-ə-ˈlit-ik 

variants or analytical

-i-kəl 

1

a

: of or relating to analysis

b

: separating something into its parts or elements

2

: skilled in or using analysis

a keenly analytic person

analytically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

analytic

adjective

an·​a·​lyt·​ic ˌan-ᵊl-ˈit-ik 

variants or analytical

-i-kəl 

1

: of or relating to analysis

especially : separating something into component parts or constituent elements

2

: psychoanalytic

analytically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb