Analog
/ˈæn.ə.lɔːɡ/noun
A thing or system that is analogous to another, especially one using continuously varying physical quantities.
Did you know?Analog comes through French from Greek analogos, literally “proportionate” or “according to ratio,” from ana- (“up, according to”) + logos (“reason, account, proportion”)—the same logos that later became a powerhouse word for speech, logic, and sacred order.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
analogos
“proportionate; corresponding in ratio”
Late Latin
Latin
analogus
“proportionate; analogous”
Old French
French
analogue
“analogous; corresponding”
16th Century
English
analog(e)
“having a corresponding or similar relation”
20th Century
English
analog
“using continuously varying physical quantities rather than discrete values”