analog

1 of 2

adjective

an·​a·​log ˈa-nə-ˌlȯg 

-ˌläg

1

a

: of, relating to, or being a mechanism or device in which information is represented by continuously variable physical quantities

Your speakers are analog technology in all its nearly century-old glory … . As the speakers get their signals from the cables, the drivers vibrate in a continual state of flux as the changing analog signals are fed to them. The drivers are presenting an analogy of what came from the original source, even if the source started off digital, such as a CD.

—Ron Goldberg

b

: of or relating to an analog computer

In an analog machine each number is represented by a suitable physical quantity, whose value, measured in some pre-assigned unit, is equal to the number in question.

—The World Treasury Of Physics

c

of a timepiece : having both hour and minute hands

an analog watch

d

: not digital : not computerized

Of course, it's possible to meet someone online, but it's just as tough as the old, analog ways.

—Anita Hamilton

2

: of, relating to, or being an analogue

analog

2 of 2

noun

an·​a·​log

variant spelling of analogue entry 1

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)

Examples of analog in a Sentence

Adjective

Telephone lines carry data in analog form.

It receives an analog video signal and converts it to a digital signal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This paradox of living in an increasingly digital world while yearning for analog simplicity will define much of the year. —Dossé-Via Trenou, refinery29.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Sticking to the company’s analog presentation of product, eschewing social media though the company continues to elevate its online website presence, RH’s super-sized 36 Design Galleries are experiential dream machines where the product is showcased. —Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Noun

By the 1980s, the Soviet Union was still stuck in the analog age, producing only a few thousand computers annually, while American firms were manufacturing millions and spearheading the digital revolution. —Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025

This is a modern alternative compared to uncomfortable traditional analog impressions—which consist of patients biting into trays filled with impression material resembling a gooey-like texture and holding while the material sets. —Cindy Roark, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from attributive use of analogue entry 1; (sense 1) after analog computer, in which physical quantities (as electrical potential or mechanical motion) are analogues of corresponding quantities in the problem to be solved

First Known Use

Adjective

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing analog

• analog computer