positive
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.
PronunciationEdit
- (General American) enPR: pŏʹzĭtĭv, IPA(key): /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: pŏʹzĭtĭv, IPA(key): /ˈpɒzɪtɪv/
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Audio (US) (file) - Hyphenation: po‧si‧tive
AdjectiveEdit
positive (comparative more positive, superlative most positive)
- Not negative or neutral
- (law) Formally laid down. [from the 14th c.]
- Hooker
- In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.
- Hooker
- 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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- (chemistry) electropositive
- (chemistry) basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.
- (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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SynonymsEdit
AntonymsEdit
- (physics): negative
- (mathematics): nonpositive
- (doubtful): uncertain, unsure
- (spiritual quality): bad, evil, nongood
Derived termsEdit
Terms derived from positive
TranslationsEdit
legal: formally laid down
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stated definitively and without qualification
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fully assured in opinion, confident
mathematics: greater than zero
characterised by constructiveness
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philosophy: actual, real, concrete
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physics: having more protons than electrons
grammar: describing the primary sense
derived from an object by itself; absolute
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characterised by the existence rather than absence of qualities or features
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characterised by features which support a hypothesis
photography: of a visual image true to the original
favorable, desirable
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downright, entire, outright
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optimistic
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chemistry: electropositive — see electropositive
chemistry: basic; metallic; not acid
slang: HIV positive
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New Age jargon: good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable
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- 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 Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked
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NounEdit
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) A degree of comparison of adjectives and adverbs.
- (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.
- A positive result of a test.
TranslationsEdit
favourable point or characteristic
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thing having a positive value
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the positive degree of adjectives and adverbs
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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 Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked
DanishEdit
FrenchEdit
AdjectiveEdit
positive
VerbEdit
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