Analytical

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌæn.əˈlɪt.ɪ.kəl/

Definitions

1. Relating to the process of examining something methodically by separating it into parts to understand its nature or structure
2. Pertaining to the systematic examination of components to elucidate underlying principles or relationships
3. Associated with detailed evaluation and logical reasoning to gain insight into complex issues or systems

Etymology: "Analytical" is a straightforward formation: it is the adjective of "analysis," with the suffix "-ical" added to the noun. The noun itself comes from the Greek "analysis," meaning "a loosening up" or "a breaking up into parts," built from "ana-" (up, throughout) and "lysis" (a loosening, from "lyein," to loosen). The Greek sense of taking something apart to see how it is put together is still what the adjective carries. English took the adjective from French "analytique," and the two words run side by side in the two languages. The English form simply follows the French pattern, so anyone who knows "analytique" in French will recognise the word at once.

Synonyms: logical, methodical, systematic, critical, investigative

Antonyms: synthetic, holistic, imprecise, indistinct, vague