# like (similarity)

When a thing has the same pattern as another thing.

- Computed level: L3 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: everyday  ·  Arena: word

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [pattern](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pattern.regularity), [others](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-others.distinct-entities)

**Through:** Two things compare their patterns and find them the same.

**Novel properties:**
- perceived similarity
- comparative assessment
- shared pattern recognition

## Examples
- The spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy mirror the pattern of density waves in traffic flow on a circular highway. *(astronomy)*
- The structure of benzene molecules matches the pattern of a hexagonal tile arrangement in Islamic mosaics at the Alhambra. *(chemistry)*
- The branching veins in a leaf resemble the fractal paths of rivers in the Amazon Basin seen from satellite. *(biology)*

## Used by
- [agreement](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-agreement.social) (L8)
- [check](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-check.verification) (L9)
- [compare](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-compare.relation) (L9)
- [family](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-family.social) (L7)
- [friend](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-friend.social) (L9)
- [learn](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-learn.cognitive) (L7)
- [model](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-model.representation) (L9)
- [noun](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-noun.language) (L10)
- [yellow](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-yellow.color) (L22)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-like.similarity*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-like.similarity.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*