analogue

[an-l-awg, -og] /ˈæn lˌɔg, -ˌɒg/
noun
1.
something having analogy to something else.
2.
Biology. an organ or part analogous to another.
3.
Chemistry. one of a group of chemical compounds similar in structure but different in respect to elemental composition.
4.
a food made from vegetable matter, especially soybeans, that has been processed to taste and look like another food, as meat or dairy, and is used as a substitute for it.
Also, analog.
Origin
1820-30; < French < Greek análogon, neuter of análogos analogous; replacing earlier analogon < Greek
British Dictionary definitions for analogue

analogue

/ˈænəˌlɒɡ/
noun
1.
  1. a physical object or quantity, such as a pointer on a dial or a voltage, used to measure or represent another quantity
  2. (as modifier): analogue watch, analogue recording
2.
something analogous to something else
3.
(biology) an analogous part or organ
4.
(chem)
  1. an organic chemical compound related to another by substitution of hydrogen atoms with alkyl groups: toluene is an analogue of benzene
  2. an organic compound that is similar in structure to another organic compound: thiols are sulphur analogues of alcohols
5.
(informal) a person who is afraid of using new technological devices Compare digital native, digital immigrant
analog
Word Origin and History for analogue
n.

1826, "an analogous thing," from French analogue, from Greek analogon (itself used in English from c.1810), from ana "up to" (see ana-) + logos "account, ratio" (see lecture (n.)). Computing sense is recorded from 1946.

analogue in Medicine

analogue an·a·logue or an·a·log (ān'ə-lôg')
n.

  1. An organ or structure similar in function to one in another species but of dissimilar evolutionary origin.

  2. A structural derivative of a parent chemical compound that often differs from it by a single element.

analogue in Science
analog or analogue
  (ān'ə-lôg')   
Adjective  Measuring or representing data by means of one or more physical properties that can express any value along a continuous scale. For example, the position of the hands of a clock is an analog representation of time. Compare digital.

Noun  

  1. An organ or structure that is similar in function to one in another kind of organism but is of dissimilar evolutionary origin. The wings of birds and the wings of insects are analogs.

  2. A chemical compound that has a similar structure and similar chemical properties to those of another compound, but differs from it by a single element or group. The antibiotic amoxicillin, for example, is an analog of penicillin, differing from the latter by the addition of an amino group. Compare homologue.


analogue in Technology

electronics
(US: "analog") A description of a continuously variable signal or a circuit or device designed to handle such signals. The opposite is "discrete" or "digital".
Analogue circuits are much harder to design and analyse than digital ones because the designer must take into account effects such as the gain, linearity and power handling of components, the resistance, capacitance and inductance of PCB tracks, wires and connectors, interference between signals, power supply stability and more. A digital circuit design, especially for high switching speeds, must also take these factors into account if it is to work reliably, but they are usually less critical because most digital components will function correctly within a range of parameters whereas such variations will corrupt the outputs of an analogue circuit.
See also analogue computer.
(1995-11-14)