analyse
UK[ˈæn.ə.laɪz]US[ˈæn.ə.laɪz]
v
To examine the nature or structure of something in detail, especially by separating it into its parts, in order to understand or explain it.
v
To examine a substance to discover what it is made of.
Morpheme Breakdown
ana
lyse
ana
up, back, throughout
lyse
to loosen, set free
Etymology
The word 'analyse' originates from the Greek 'analyein', a compound of 'ana-' (up, back, throughout) and 'lyein' (to loosen). The literal sense was 'to unloose, release, or break up a complex whole into its constituent parts'. This concept entered medieval Latin as 'analysis' and later French as 'analyser'. The English verb 'analyse' emerged in the late 16th century, retaining the core Greek logic: to methodically 'loosen' or 'break down' a subject throughout its entirety in order to understand its fundamental components and relationships.
Analysis
Structure: ana (up, back, throughout) + lyse (to loosen, set free)
'ana' is a Greek prefix meaning 'up, back, again, throughout'. 'lyse' is from the Greek verb 'lyein', meaning 'to loosen, release, set free'.
Examples
The scientist will analyse the data to find patterns.
We need to analyse the problem before we can solve it.
The lab can analyse water samples for contaminants.