analogous
- 01 C1 Advanced
similar to something else in a way that makes a comparison possible.
corresponding in some particular way; having a resemblance that allows for an analogy to be drawn. Often followed by the preposition 'to'.
Simple“The wings of a plane are analogous to the wings of a bird because both help with flight.”
In context“The relationship between a CEO and a company is often seen as analogous to that of a captain and a ship, where one person must navigate through storms.”
UsageTypically used with the preposition 'to' when comparing two specific entities.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
describing body parts in different animals that do the same job but did not come from the same ancestor.
performing a similar function but having a different evolutionary origin, such as the wings of insects and birds. This is the opposite of homologous.
Simple“The fins of a fish and the flippers of a whale are analogous structures.”
In context“Biologists distinguish between analogous traits, which result from convergent evolution, and homologous traits, which are inherited from a common ancestor.”
UsageUsed specifically in evolutionary biology to describe functional similarity without shared ancestry.
Synonymsfunctionally similarAntonyms
Usage analogous manner · analogous to
“In most insects that respond to sound pressure, the structure analogous to the tympanal organ is a sac filled with air.”
“Dogs are much easier to work with, with the hope that a successful treatment could not only provide treatment for CAA but also shed light on the analogous human cancer .”
From Latin analogus, from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰ́λογος (ănắlogos); Its English equivalent is analogue + -ous. The application to similar features of organisms is nearly as old as the general sense. Recognizably modern uses of the second sense, distinguishing analogous from homologous, appear in the mid-19th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.