Note: Followed by between, to, or with; as, there is an
analogy between these objects, or one thing has an
analogy to or with another.
Note: Analogy is very commonly used to denote similarity or
essential resemblance; but its specific meaning is a
similarity of relations, and in this consists the
difference between the argument from example and that
from analogy. In the former, we argue from the mere
similarity of two things; in the latter, from the
similarity of their relations. --Karslake.
2. (Biol.) A relation or correspondence in function, between
organs or parts which are decidedly different.
3. (Geom.) Proportion; equality of ratios.
4. (Gram.) Conformity of words to the genius, structure, or
general rules of a language; similarity of origin,
inflection, or principle of pronunciation, and the like,
as opposed to {anomaly}. --Johnson.