Analog Meaning
/ˈænəˌlɒɡ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjIn which the value of a data item (such as time) is represented by a continuous(ly) variable physical quantity that can be measured (such as the shadow of a sundial).
adjNot relating to, or pre-dating, digital technology such as computers and the Internet; relating to real life.
Sentence Examples
Which kind of watch do you prefer, digital or analog?
My watch is analog.
CEFR Practice Quiz
My old wristwatch uses an ____ display with rotating hands instead of digital numbers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old ____ clock on the wall ticking loudly in the quiet room.
Word Origin & History
First attested in the early 19th century; from French analogue, from Ancient Greek ἀνάλογος (análogos, “proportionate”), from ἀνά (aná, “up to”) + λόγος (lógos, “ratio”). Equivalent to ana- (“functionally similar”) + -log.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But for these digital natives, the stubborn analog wonders of skin, handshakes, hugs, bread and wine, faces, names and spontaneous conversation is part of what intrigued them and kept them going to church."
— 2022 January 30, Tish Harrison Warren, “Why Churches Should Drop Their Online Services”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"Not that I expect my children’s generation to be shocked by it all. Unlike my analog upbringing, they were born into a digital world."
— 2021 November 18, Kara Swisher, “The Prescience of 1970’s ‘Future Shock’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"But what, exactly, is a platform? In the analog world, a platform is where you catch a train or launch a rocket or give a speech — somewhere you go to do something else."
— 2021 September 15, Reeves Wiedeman, “Why Does Every Company Now Want to Be a Platform?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"Effective analog dating demands a similar commitment to strategizing, she said, and “if you have your phone in your face, or earbuds in your ears, you’re not going to meet anyone.”"
— 2025 June 6, Catherine Pearson, “A New Way to Date: The Old-Fashioned Way”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"E-bikes have now become so popular that old-fashioned, human-powered ones are tagged as “analog” or “acoustic” bikes."
— 2025 November 30, David Darlington, “The Shocking Crash That Led Marin County to Reckon With the Dangers of E-Bikes”, in The New York Times Magazine, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Nov 2025:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
My old wristwatch uses an ____ display with rotating hands instead of digital numbers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old ____ clock on the wall ticking loudly in the quiet room.