Defn: The tracing of things to their source, and the resolving of knowledge into its original principles.
4. (Math.)
Defn: The resolving of problems by reducing the conditions that are in them to equations.
5. (a) A syllabus, or table of the principal heads of a discourse, disposed in their natural order. (b) A brief, methodical illustration of the principles of a science. In this sense it is nearly synonymous with synopsis.
6. (Nat. Hist.)
Defn: The process of ascertaining the name of a species, or its place in a system of classification, by means of an analytical table or key. Ultimate, Proximate, Qualitative, Quantitative, and Volumetric analysis. (Chem.) See under Ultimate, Proximate, Qualitative, etc.
ANALYST
An"a*lyst, n. Etym: [F. analyste. See Analysis.]
Defn: One who analyzes; formerly, one skilled in algebraical geometry; now commonly, one skilled in chemical analysis.
ANALYTIC; ANALYTICAL
An`a*lyt"ic, An`a*lyt"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. analytique. See Analysis.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to analysis; resolving into elements or constituent parts; as, an analytical experiment; analytic reasoning; — opposed to synthetic. Analytical or coördinate geometry. See under Geometry. — Analytic language, a noninflectional language or one not characterized by grammatical endings. — Analytical table (Nat. Hist.), a table in which the characteristics of the species or other groups are arranged so as to facilitate the determination of their names.