neutral
See also: neutrál
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle French neutral (compare modern French neutre), from Latin neutralis. By surface analysis, neuter + -al.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnjuːtɹəl/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnuːtɹəl/, [ˈnuːt͡ʃɹəl]
Audio (US) (file)
AdjectiveEdit
neutral (comparative more neutral, superlative most neutral)
- Not taking sides in a conflict such as war; nonaligned.
- Favouring neither the supporting nor opposing viewpoint of a topic of debate; unbiased.
- I am neutral regarding the issue of gay marriage.
- 1711, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times
- The heart can not possibly remain neutral, but constantly takes part one way or the other.
- Neither positive nor negative.
- Neither beneficial nor harmful.
- c. 1600, Sir John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Sou
- Some things good, and some things ill, do seem,
And neutral some, in her fantastic eye.
- Some things good, and some things ill, do seem,
- 2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
- Plant breeding is always a numbers game. […] The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, […] In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new mutations, or they can be existing ones that are neutral—or are even selected against—in a wild population. A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal, leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe.
- c. 1600, Sir John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Sou
- (biology) Having no sex; neuter.
- Having no obvious colour; gray
- (physics) Neither positive nor negative; possessing no charge or equivalent positive and negative charge such that there is no imbalance.
- (chemistry) Having a pH of or near 7, neither acidic nor alkaline.
SynonymsEdit
- (neither beneficial nor harmful): innocuous
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
not taking sides in a conflict
|
favouring neither the supporting nor opposing viewpoint of a topic of debate
grammar: neither positive nor negative
neither beneficial nor harmful
|
biology: having no sex
|
having no obvious colour
|
physics: possessing no charge
|
chemistry: neither acidic nor alkaline
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
NounEdit
neutral (plural neutrals)
- A nonaligned state, or a member of such a state.
- A person who takes no side in a dispute.
- 1931, “Which Side Are You On?”, performed by Florence Patton Reece:
- They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair.
- An individual or entity serving as an arbitrator or adjudicator.
- A neutral hue.
- The position of a set of gears in which power cannot be transmitted to the drive mechanism.
- An electrical terminal or conductor which has zero or close to zero voltage with respect to the ground.
TranslationsEdit
nonaligned state
|
person who takes no side in a dispute
|
neutral hue
position of gears
|
electrical terminal
|
AnagramsEdit
CatalanEdit
EtymologyEdit
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
neutral (masculine and feminine plural neutrals)
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “neutral” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
DanishEdit
AdjectiveEdit
neutral
InflectionEdit
| Inflection of neutral | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
| Common singular | neutral | — | —2 |
| Neuter singular | neutralt | — | —2 |
| Plural | neutrale | — | —2 |
| Definite attributive1 | neutrale | — | — |
| 1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively. | |||
GermanEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- n. (abbreviation)
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
neutral (strong nominative masculine singular neutraler, comparative neutraler, superlative am neutralsten)
DeclensionEdit
Positive forms of neutral
| number & gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
| predicative | er ist neutral | sie ist neutral | es ist neutral | sie sind neutral | |
| strong declension (without article) |
nominative | neutraler | neutrale | neutrales | neutrale |
| genitive | neutralen | neutraler | neutralen | neutraler | |
| dative | neutralem | neutraler | neutralem | neutralen | |
| accusative | neutralen | neutrale | neutrales | neutrale | |
| weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der neutrale | die neutrale | das neutrale | die neutralen |
| genitive | des neutralen | der neutralen | des neutralen | der neutralen | |
| dative | dem neutralen | der neutralen | dem neutralen | den neutralen | |
| accusative | den neutralen | die neutrale | das neutrale | die neutralen | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein neutraler | eine neutrale | ein neutrales | (keine) neutralen |
| genitive | eines neutralen | einer neutralen | eines neutralen | (keiner) neutralen | |
| dative | einem neutralen | einer neutralen | einem neutralen | (keinen) neutralen | |
| accusative | einen neutralen | eine neutrale | ein neutrales | (keine) neutralen | |
Comparative forms of neutral
Superlative forms of neutral
Further readingEdit
RomanianEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin neutralis or Italian neutrale. By surface analysis, neutru + -al.
AdjectiveEdit
neutral m or n (feminine singular neutrală, masculine plural neutrali, feminine and neuter plural neutrale)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of neutral
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
| nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | neutral | neutrală | neutrali | neutrale | ||
| definite | neutralul | neutrala | neutralii | neutralele | |||
| genitive/ dative |
indefinite | neutral | neutrale | neutrali | neutrale | ||
| definite | neutralului | neutralei | neutralilor | neutralelor | |||
SpanishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
neutral (plural neutrales)
Derived termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “neutral”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
SwedishEdit
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
neutral
DeclensionEdit
| Inflection of neutral | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
| Common singular | neutral | neutralare | neutralast |
| Neuter singular | neutralt | neutralare | neutralast |
| Plural | neutrala | neutralare | neutralast |
| Masculine plural3 | neutrale | neutralare | neutralast |
| Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Masculine singular1 | neutrale | neutralare | neutralaste |
| All | neutrala | neutralare | neutralaste |
| 1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic | |||
Related termsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Transitiv in Nordisk familjebok (2nd ed., 1919)