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Plural
analogies
1
a comparison between two different things, done to explain the similarities between them
- Emma employed the analogy of a river flowing downstream to illustrate the passage of time and the inevitability of change.
- He drew an analogy between running a marathon and pursuing a long-term goal, emphasizing the importance of endurance and perseverance.
- She used an analogy to explain how a computer works like a brain.
- The teacher drew an analogy between the heart and a pump.
- The analogy between a bird’s wings and an airplane’s wings helped students understand flight.
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2
a type of reasoning based on the idea that if two things are in agreement on a specific aspect, they will be so on other aspects
- Philosophers used analogy to reason that if the mind and body are dependent, the soul must be similarly related to both.
- By analogy, if the previous treatments were effective for similar cases, this new treatment should also yield positive results.
3
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 inadequate
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4
(linguistics) a process by which a new word or inflection is formed according to existing rules and regulations
In linguistics, analogy is a process by which language users create new words or forms based on the patterns and structures of existing words. This occurs when similarities in sound or meaning lead to the formation of new expressions that follow familiar patterns. For example, if someone creates the past tense "stealed" based on the pattern of "sealed," they are using analogy. Analogy can also influence changes in grammar, pronunciation, and word formation, allowing language to evolve as speakers draw on existing knowledge to fill gaps or create new forms. It plays an important role in the development of vocabulary and the standardization of language over time.
- The analogy between "sing" and "sang" helps learners understand verb changes.
- Using analogy, she created the word "brang" to describe a past action, following the pattern of "ring" and "rang."
- Many children use analogy to form new words by mimicking the sounds of existing ones.
- The study of analogy shows how language adapts to the needs of its speakers.