analog

analog — adjective

1. describes electronic systems that process information as a continuously changing

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes electronic systems that process information as a continuously changing physical quantity — such as a changing electric current or voltage — rather than as a series of separate numerical values

Example

The old telephone system used analog signals to carry voices through copper wires.

collocation: analog signals

Omar built an analog circuit that measures temperature as a smooth change in voltage.

pattern: analog circuit + measures

Common collocations
  • analog signal
  • analog circuit
  • analog recording
  • analog audio
  • analog data
Synonyms
  • continuous

    describes the nature of the signal itself; narrower than 'analog'

  • non-digital

    broader term that overlaps with sense 2 as well

Antonyms
  • digital

    the opposite technology: represents data as separate numbers rather than continuous values

Grammar Patterns

analog + noun (signal/device/circuit)

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2 (NOT DIGITAL): sense 1 describes HOW a device processes data (by continuous variation), while sense 2 describes WHAT KIND of technology it uses (traditional rather than computerized). A digital radio can still receive analog signals.

Common Mistakes

The radio uses analog signal.
The radio uses analog signals.
'Signal' is countable when referring to a specific kind.

2. using old-style mechanical or electrical technology instead of modern digital co

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

using old-style mechanical or electrical technology instead of modern digital computers or electronics — for example, a radio that uses a physical dial and a moving needle to find stations, rather than a touchscreen

Example

Jabari uses an analog camera that needs film to capture pictures.

pattern: analog + device (camera, radio, synthesizer)

Rohan bought an analog synthesizer because he prefers its warm, natural sound.

Common collocations
  • analog camera
  • analog radio
  • analog synthesizer
  • analog equipment
Synonyms
  • non-digital

    direct synonym; less common as a single word

  • mechanical

    overlaps but focuses on moving parts rather than the non-digital aspect

  • traditional

    broader in meaning, suggests conventional methods rather than specifically non-digital

Antonyms
  • digital

    the direct opposite; uses computer chips and numerical processing

  • electronic

    modern electronics are usually digital; 'electronic' alone does not guarantee digital

Grammar Patterns

be + analog

analog + noun (device/technology)

Usage Note

Frequently appears in product descriptions contrasting digital and analog versions. Sense 2 overlaps with sense 3 for watches: an analog watch (sense 3) is also analog (sense 2) because it is not a smartwatch.

Common Mistakes

My watch is analog because it shows numbers.
My watch is analog because it has hands that point to the numbers.
An analog watch uses physical hands, not a digital number display.

3. describes a clock or watch that shows the time using two or three moving hands a

3.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes a clock or watch that shows the time using two or three moving hands around a numbered face, instead of a screen that shows the time as numbers

Example

The classroom clock is analog, with a short hour hand and a long minute hand.

pattern: analog clock + with hands

Iris learned to read an analog watch in the first grade at school.

Common collocations
  • analog clock
  • analog watch
  • analog face
  • analog display
Synonyms
  • traditional

    suggests classic design but does not specifically mean 'with hands'

Antonyms
  • digital

    a digital watch shows the time as numbers on a display

Grammar Patterns

analog clock/watch

the clock is analog

Usage Note

Only used for timepieces. A watch may fit both sense 3 (has hands) and sense 2 (is not a smartwatch), but the two meanings are separate: sense 3 contrasts with 'digital display' while sense 2 contrasts with 'computerized device'.

Common Mistakes

She wore a digital watch with white hands.
She wore an analog watch with white hands.
A watch with physical hands is analog; 'digital' means it shows time as numbers.

analog — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

Analog, non-digital, mechanical, traditional, and retro all describe things that are not modern or computerized, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Analog' specifically refers to technology that operates through continuously variable physical quantities or non-digital mechanisms — it suggests a considered alternative to digital. 'Non-digital' is a direct synonym but is less compact and rarely used as an adjective on its own. 'Mechanical' focuses on physical moving parts and gear-based operation, independent of whether the device is analog or digital. 'Traditional' is much broader, covering customs, habits, and methods passed down through generations. 'Retro' describes items designed to imitate the style of older technology rather than actually being old. For example, an analog watch uses hands (adj/3 sense), a mechanical watch uses springs and gears, a traditional watch might be a classic quartz design, and a retro watch might look vintage on the outside but contain a digital movement inside.

non-digitalmechanical ↗traditional ↗retro ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'analog' comes from Greek 'analogon', meaning 'proportionate' or 'corresponding'. It travelled through Latin 'analogus' and French 'analogue' before entering English. The technical meaning — referring to devices that represent changing values through continuously varying physical quantities — emerged in the 20th century alongside the development of analog computers, where voltages and currents change smoothly to stand for real-world measurements. This contrasts with digital systems, which break information into separate steps.