analogue

USAGE SUMMARY

"analogue" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that is similar to something else, but operates in a different way. For example: "The analogue version of the video game was vastly different from the digital version."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's ridiculous that you cannot have a normal analogue watch".

The Guardian

"Computer science is the new Latin: it underpins the digital world just as Latin did the analogue world, and games encapsulate all of the ways in which it marries the arts and sciences".

The Guardian - Travel

One reason is the naivete/ignorance of legislators who swallowed the spooks' line that metadata-hoovering was just an updating of older powers to access logs of (analogue) telephone calls.

The Guardian - Tech

These are only five brief ways to remix analogue and digital learning.

The Guardian

In an analogue format this involves reading and research folders.

The Guardian

Digital memories, he said, are very different to analogue, photographic ones.

The Guardian - Tech

But German wariness about comprehensive surveillance is easy to understand: after all, half of the country lived for decades under the Stasi's comprehensive analogue surveillance.

The Guardian - Tech

A raft of startups like ClickSubmit and Outbrain promise to get you noticed on the net; trades from handymen to hoteliers face the prospect that unless they get busily networking to take on Airbnb and other Web 2.0 disrupters, they'll end up biting analogue dust.

The Guardian - Opinion

His querulous voice, and the curling briar-stem melodies he applies it to, has its closest analogue in Billie Holiday on Lady in Satin.

The Guardian - Music

But what he has since learned is that his ordeal took place at Homan Square, the off-the-books detention center considered by lawyers and activists to be the law enforcement analogue of a CIA black site.

The Guardian

There are of course, hundreds of analogue and digital teaching and learning tools, and I would encourage you to be adventurous and try something new in your classroom.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When contrasting "analogue" and digital systems, ensure the context clearly specifies the features being compared. For example, "analogue" recordings capture sound waves directly, while digital recordings convert them into numerical data.

Common error

Avoid using "analogue" when you mean "analogous". "Analogue" refers to something that is not digital, whereas "analogous" means similar or comparable. Using "analogous" instead of "analogue" can significantly alter the sentence's meaning.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "analogue" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate that something operates using continuous signals or physical representations, as opposed to digital signals. Ludwig AI confirms its adjectival nature.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "analogue" is primarily used as an adjective to describe non-digital systems or representations. Ludwig AI validates that it functions correctly and is widely used, particularly in contrasting technologies. As shown in the provided examples, it frequently appears in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science contexts, indicating a broad applicability. While alternatives like "analogous", "similar", and "equivalent" exist, they carry different nuances. It's important to differentiate it from "analogous" to avoid misuse. The term's prevalence and authoritative sources confirm its established and correct usage in English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

analog

A shorter, American English spelling of "analogue" with identical meaning.

similar

Indicates a resemblance or likeness without necessarily implying a direct correspondence in function or representation.

analogous

Implies a comparison showing a similarity in some respects between things otherwise dissimilar.

equivalent

Suggests an equal value or function but may not share the same structural properties.

comparable

Indicates that two things can be compared, implying they share some similar features.

matching

Describes something that corresponds or is identical to something else.

corresponding

Indicates a direct relationship or similarity between two things.

representative

Functions as a typical or exemplary instance.

parallel

Emphasizes the similar direction or path of two things without necessarily implying identical features.

related

Indicates a connection or association between two things, but not necessarily a similarity in function or form.

FAQs

How is "analogue" typically used in a sentence?

"Analogue" is usually used as an adjective to describe something that is not digital. For example, "analogue watches" or "analogue signals".

What's the difference between "analogue" and digital?

"Analogue" refers to continuous signals or devices, while digital refers to discrete signals or devices that use binary code. "Analogue" devices represent data using physical quantities, while digital devices use numbers.

What are some synonyms for "analogue" in the context of similarity?

Depending on the context, you can use words like "similar", "analogous", or "equivalent", but be mindful of the subtle differences in meaning.

Is "analog" or "analogue" the correct spelling?

"Analogue" is the preferred spelling in British English, while "analog" is more common in American English. Both are correct, but usage depends on the regional context.