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. [1913 Webster]
"Followed by between, to, or with; as, there is an analogy between these objects, or one thing has an analogy to or with another." [1913 Webster]

" 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." Karslake. [1913 Webster]
A relation or correspondence in function, between organs or parts which are decidedly different. [1913 Webster]
Proportion; equality of ratios. [1913 Webster]
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. Johnson. [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

analogy, n. (pl. -ies)
1 (usu. foll. by to, with, between) correspondence or partial similarity.
2 Logic a process of arguing from similarity in known respects to similarity in other respects.
3 Philol. the imitation of existing words in forming inflections or constructions of others, without the existence of corresponding intermediate stages.
4 Biol. the resemblance of function between organs essentially different.
5 an analogue.

Derivative

analogical adj. analogically adv.

Etymology

F analogie or L analogia proportion f. Gk (as ANALOGOUS)

top

THESAURUS

analogy

accordance, affinity, agent, agreement, alignment, alikeness, allegory, alliance, alternate, alternative, ambiguity, aping, approach, approximation, assimilation, backup, balancing, change, changeling, closeness, coextension, collineation, community, comparability, comparative anatomy, comparative degree, comparative grammar, comparative judgment, comparative linguistics, comparative literature, comparative method, compare, comparing, comparison, concurrence, conformity, confrontation, confrontment, contrast, contrastiveness, copy, copying, correlation, correspondence, counterfeit, deputy, distinction, distinctiveness, double, dummy, equal, equidistance, equivalent, equivocation, equivoque, ersatz, exchange, fake, fill-in, ghost, ghostwriter, identity, imitation, likeness, likening, locum tenens, makeshift, matching, metaphor, metonymy, mimicking, nearness, next best thing, nondivergence, opposing, opposition, parallelism, parity, personnel, phony, pinch hitter, proportion, proxy, relation, relief, replacement, representative, resemblance, reserves, ringer, sameness, second string, secondary, semblance, sign, similarity, simile, similitude, simulation, spares, stand-in, sub, substituent, substitute, substitution, succedaneum, superseder, supplanter, surrogate, symbol, synecdoche, tergiversation, third string, token, trope of comparison, understudy, utility player, vicar, vice-president, vice-regent, weighing

top

ROGET THESAURUS

analogy

Relation

N relation, bearing, reference, connection, concern, cognation, correlation, analogy, similarity, affinity, homology, alliance, homogeneity, association, approximation, filiation, interest, relevancy, dependency, relationship, relative position, comparison, ratio, proportion, link, tie, bond of union, relative, correlative, cognate, relating to, relative to, in relation with, referable or referrible to, belonging to, appurtenant to, in common with, related, connected, implicated, associated, affiliated, allied to, en rapport, in touch with, approximative, approximating, proportional, proportionate, proportionable, allusive, comparable, in the same category, like, relevant, applicable, equiparant, relatively, pertinently, thereof, as to, as for, as respects, as regards, about, concerning, anent, relating to, as relates to, with relation, with reference to, with respect to, with regard to, in respect of, while speaking of, a propos of, in connection with, by the way, by the by, whereas, for as much as, in as much as, in point of, as far as, on the part of, on the score of, quoad hoc, pro re nata, under the head of, of, in the matter of, in re, thereby hangs a tale.

Similarity

N similarity, resemblance, likeness, similitude, semblance, affinity, approximation, parallelism, agreement, analogy, analogicalness, correspondence, homoiousia, parity, connaturalness, connaturality, brotherhood, family likeness, alliteration, rhyme, pun, repetition, sameness, uniformity, isogamy, analogue, the like, match, pendant, fellow companion, pair, mate, twin, double, counterpart, brother, sister, one's second self, alter ego, chip of the old block, par nobile fratrum, Arcades ambo, birds of a feather, et hoc genus omne, gens de meme famille, parallel, simile, type, image, photograph, close resemblance, striking resemblance, speaking resemblance, faithful likeness, faithful resemblance, similar, resembling, like, alike, twin, analogous, analogical, parallel, of a piece, such as, so, homoiousian, connatural, congener, allied to, akin to, approximate, much the same, near, close, something like, sort of, in the ballpark, such like, a show of, mock, pseudo, simulating, representing, exact, lifelike, faithful, true to nature, true to life, the very image, the very picture of, for all the world like, comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like as two peas in a pod, as like as it can stare, instar omnium, cast in the same mold, ridiculously like, as if, so to speak, as it were, as if it were, quasi, just as, veluti in speculum, et sic de similibus, tel maitre tel valet, tel pere tel fils, like master, like servant, like father, like son, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block.

Analogy

N analogy, association, association of ideas, metaphor, analogical thinking, free association, train of thought, analogical.

For further exploring for "analogy" in Webster Dictionary Online