# similar (comparative)

when the pattern of one thing is the same as the pattern of another thing

- Computed level: L2 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: everyday-adjective  ·  Arena: similar

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

**Through:** the pattern.regularity of the two things aligns, removing the difference.relation between them

**Novel properties:**
- shared pattern
- mutual correspondence
- absence of difference

## Examples
- The orbital resonance of Pluto and Neptune maintains a 3:2 ratio, preventing collision despite crossing paths. *(astronomy)*
- The branching structure of river deltas mirrors the vascular networks in mammalian lungs. *(geography)*
- The codebase of Linux distributions shares architectural patterns with the original Unix system from 1970. *(computing)*

## Used by
- [association](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-association.relation) (L10)
- [copy](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-copy.replication) (L4)
- [symmetry versus regularity licence](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-symmetry-versus-regularity-licence.licence) (L12)
- [the compression claim](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-compression-claim.assertion) (L12)

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