positive
English
Etymology
From Old (and modern) French positif, or Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.
Pronunciation
Adjective
positive (comparative more positive, superlative most positive)
- (law) Formally laid down. [from the 14th c.]
- Stated definitively and without qualification. [from the 16th c.]
- Francis Bacon:
- Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.
- Francis Bacon:
- Fully assured in opinion. [from the 17th c.]
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- I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.
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- (mathematics) Of number, greater than zero. [from the 18th c.]
- Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.
- Jonathan Swift:
- a positive voice in legislation.
- Jonathan Swift:
- Overconfident, dogmatic.
- Alexander Pope:
- Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always so.
- Alexander Pope:
- (chiefly philosophy) Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.
- Francis Bacon:
- Positive good.
- Francis Bacon:
- (physics) Having more protons than electrons.
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- A cation is a positive ion as it has more protons than electrons.
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- (grammar) Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.
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- ‘Better’ is an irregular comparative of the positive form ‘good’.
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- Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute.
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- The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.
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- Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.
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- The box was not empty – I felt some positive substance within it.
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- Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.
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- The results of our experiment are positive.
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- (photography) Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.
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- A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.
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- Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.
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- The first-night reviews were largely positive.
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- Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.
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- Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.
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- Optimistic. [from the 20th c.]
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- He has a positive outlook on life.
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- (slang) HIV positive.
- (New Age jargon) Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable; (often precedes 'energy', 'thought', 'feeling' or 'emotion').
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- 2009, Christopher Johns, Becoming a Reflective Practitioner, John Wiley & Sons, p. 15
- Negative feelings can be worked through and their energy converted into positive energy... In crisis, normal patterns of self-organization fail, resulting in anxiety (negative energy). Being open systems, people can exchange this energy with the environment and create positive energy for taking action...
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Synonyms
Antonyms
- (physics): negative
- (mathematics): nonpositive
- (doubtful): uncertain, unsure
- (spiritual quality): bad, evil, nongood
Derived terms
- positivism
- dipositive
- positive crystal
- positive degree
- positive electricity
- positive eyepiece
- positive law
- positive motion
- positive philosophy
- positive pole
- positive quantity
- positive rotation
- positive sign
- positive contribution
- tripositive
- unipositive
Translations
definitely laid down
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fully assured, confident
grammar: describing the primary sense of an adjective or adverb
derived from an object by itself; absolute
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downright, entire, outright
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characterised by the existence of qualities or features
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characterised by features which support a hypothesis
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characterised by affirmation and constructiveness
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philosophy: actual, real, concrete
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photography: of a visual image true to the original
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mathematics: greater than zero
physics: having more protons than electrons
slang: HIV positive
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Noun
positive (plural positives)
- A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of South to this entry?)
- A favourable point or characteristic.
- Something having a positive value in physics, such as an electric charge.
- (grammar) An adjective or adverb in the positive degree.
- (photography) A positive image; one that displays true colors and shades, as opposed to a negative.
- The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
Translations
favourable point or characteristic
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adjective or adverb in the positive degree
photography: a positive image
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
French
Adjective
positive
- feminine form of positif
Verb
positive
- first-person singular present indicative of positiver
- third-person singular present indicative of positiver
- first-person singular present subjunctive of positiver
- third-person singular present subjunctive of positiver
- second-person singular imperative of positiver