analysis

Etymology

From Medieval Latin analysis, from Ancient Greek ἀνάλυσις (análusis), from ἀναλύω (analúō, “I unravel, investigate”), from ἀνά (aná, “on, up”) + λύω (lúō, “I loosen”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈnælɪsɪs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: anal‧y‧sis

Noun

analysis (countable and uncountable, plural analyses)

1. (countable) Decomposition into components in order to study (a complex thing, concept, theory etc.).
   • 2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist:

     Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.

2. (countable) The result of such a process.
   • 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational grammar: a first course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, page 214:

     Thus, in a sequence such as [French English teacher], since English is closer to
     the Head Noun teacher, it must be a Complement; and since French is further
     away from teacher, it must be an Attribute. Hence, we correctly predict that
     the only possible interpretation for [a French English teacher] is ‘a person who
     teaches English who is Frenchʼ. So our analysis not only has semantic plausi-
     bility; but in addition it has independent syntactic support.

3. (uncountable, mathematics) The mathematical study of functions, sequences, series, limits, derivatives and integrals.
4. (countable, logic) Proof by deduction from known truths.
5. (countable, chemistry) The process of breaking down a substance into its constituent parts, or the result of this process.
6. (uncountable, music) The analytical study of melodies, harmonies, sequences, repetitions, variations, quotations, juxtapositions, and surprises.
7. (countable, psychology) Psychoanalysis.

See also

• List of terms used in mathematical analysis

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀνάλυσις (análusis), from ἀναλύω (analúō, “I unravel, investigate”), from ἀνά (aná, “on, up”) + λύω (lúō, “I loosen”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /aˈna.ly.sis/, [aˈna.lʏ.sɪs]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /aˈna.li.sis/, [aˈnaː.li.sis]

Noun

analysis f (genitive analysis); third declension

1. (Medieval Latin, mathematics) analysis