Word Analogies — Definition

Definition

A word analogy asks whether two pairs of words express the same relationship in the same direction. The connection might concern function, location, degree, membership, material or part and whole. Recognising that two words are associated is insufficient: several options may be associated while only one preserves the specific relation in the stem.

A useful solution turns the first pair into a short sentence and tests each candidate pair with that sentence. Meaning must be interpreted in context, and an answer should not depend on obscure alternative meanings that the question does not establish.