analogy
nounUK /əˈnælədʒi/
US /əˈnælədʒi/
An analogy is a way to explain something by comparing it to something else that is similar.
The teacher used an analogy to explain how the brain works, comparing it to a computer.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise unlike.
There is an analogy between the way ants work together and how people cooperate in a team.
3. A form of reasoning in which one thing is inferred to be similar to another in a certain respect, based on known similarities.
Scientists drew an analogy between the structure of the atom and the solar system.
4. A comparison made to show a relationship or to clarify a concept, often used in teaching or writing.
The writer used the analogy of a garden to describe how ideas grow over time.