1. (

• analysis

) an investigation of the component parts of a whole and their relations in making up the whole ;

2. (

• analysis ,
• analytic_thinking

) the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations ;

3. (

• analysis

) a form of literary criticism in which the structure of a piece of writing is analyzed ;

4. (

• analysis ,

) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., `the father of the bride' instead of `the bride's father' ;

5. (

• analysis ,

) a branch of mathematics involving calculus and the theory of limits; sequences and series and integration and differentiation ;

6. (

• psychoanalysis ,
• analysis ,
• depth_psychology

) a set of techniques for exploring underlying motives and a method of treating various mental disorders; based on the theories of Sigmund Freud; "his physician recommended psychoanalysis" ;