analogy
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (3)analogies
- an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in othersType of inference, illation
- drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect“the operation of a computer presents an interesting analogy to the working of the brain”“the models show by analogy how matter is built up”Type of comparison, comparing
- the religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequateSynonyms: doctrine of analogyOpposite apophatism, cataphatismType of religion, faith
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: L. analogia, Gr. …, fr. …: cf. F. analogie. See Analogous.
1. A resemblance of relations; an agreement or likeness between things in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different. Thus, learning enlightens the mind, because it is to the mind what light is to the eye, enabling it to discover things before hidden.
Followed by between, to, or with; as, there is an analogy between these objects, or one thing has an analogy to or with another.
☞ Analogy is very commonly used to denote similarity or essential resemblance; but its specific meaning is a similarity of relations, and in this consists the difference between the argument from example and that from analogy. In the former, we argue from the mere similarity of two things; in the latter, from the similarity of their relations. William Henry Karslake
2. Biology A relation or correspondence in function, between organs or parts which are decidedly different.
3. Geometry Proportion; equality of ratios.
4. Grammar Conformity of words to the genius, structure, or general rules of a language; similarity of origin, inflection, or principle of pronunciation, and the like, as opposed to anomaly. Dr. Samuel Johnson
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54