Definition
The term 'analog' refers to something that is continuous and varies smoothly, like the dimmer switch on a light. It's a representation of something else that is proportional to it. An old-school watch with hands is analog ⌚, because the hand's position continuously reflects the time. The opposite of analog is 'digital', which uses discrete values (0s and 1s). Analog signals degrade over distance, whereas digital signals can be perfectly copied.