positive
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- +ve (abbreviation)
EtymologyEdit
From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpɒzɪ̈tɪv/
- (General American) enPR: pŏzʹĭ-tĭv, IPA(key): /ˈpɑzɪ̈tɪv/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɒzɪtɪv
- Hyphenation (UK): pos‧it‧ive, (US): pos‧i‧tive
AdjectiveEdit
positive (comparative more positive, superlative most positive)
- Not negative or neutral.
- (law) Formally laid down. [from the 14th c.]
- 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie
- In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.
- 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie
- Stated definitively and without qualification. [from the 16th c.]
- 1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, OCLC 1086746628:
- Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.
- Fully assured in opinion. [from the 17th c.]
- I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.
- (mathematics) Of number, greater than zero. [from the 18th c.]
- Antonym: nonpositive
- Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.
- 1701, Jonathan Swift, A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome
- unless another law shall at the same time pass, with no other view but that of advancing the power of one party alone; what is this but to claim a positive voice, as well as a negative?
- 1701, Jonathan Swift, A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome
- Overconfident, dogmatic.
- 1709, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: Printed for W. Lewis […], published 1711, OCLC 15810849:
- Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always so.
- (chiefly philosophy) Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.
- 1597 Francis Bacon, The Colours of Good and Evil
- The flower or blossom is a a positive good.
- 1597 Francis Bacon, The Colours of Good and Evil
- (physics) Having more protons than electrons.
- (grammar) Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.
- ‘Better’ is an irregular comparative of the positive form ‘good’.
- Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute.
- The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.
- Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.
- The box was not empty – I felt some positive substance within it.
- Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.
- The results of our experiment are positive.
- (photography) Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.
- A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.
- Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.
- The first-night reviews were largely positive.
- Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.
- Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.
- Optimistic. [from the 20th c.]
- He has a positive outlook on life.
- (chemistry) electropositive
- (chemistry) basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.
- (slang) HIV positive.
- quoted in 2013, William I. Johnston, HIV-Negative: How the Uninfected Are Affected by AIDS (page 145)
- We certainly told him at that time that I was negative. We talked about transmission. We told him we don't do anything that would cause me to become positive.
- quoted in 2013, William I. Johnston, HIV-Negative: How the Uninfected Are Affected by AIDS (page 145)
- (New Age jargon) Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable; (often precedes 'energy', 'thought', 'feeling' or 'emotion').
- 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...
- 2009, Christopher Johns, Becoming a Reflective Practitioner, John Wiley & Sons, p. 15
SynonymsEdit
AntonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
not negative or neutral
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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
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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.
- 1698, Robert South, Twelve Sermons upon Several Subjects and Occasions:
- rating Positives by their Privatives
- 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
|
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
AdjectiveEdit
positive
FrenchEdit
PronunciationEdit
- IPA(key): /po.zi.tiv/
- Homophones: positivent, positives
AdjectiveEdit
positive
VerbEdit
positive
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of positiver
- second-person singular imperative of positiver
GermanEdit
PronunciationEdit
Audio (file)
AdjectiveEdit
positive
- inflection of positiv:
ItalianEdit
AdjectiveEdit
positive
AnagramsEdit
LatinEdit
PronunciationEdit
- (Classical) IPA(key): /po.siˈtiː.we/, [pɔ.s̠ɪˈt̪iː.wɛ]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /po.siˈti.ve/, [pɔ.ziˈt̪iː.vɛ]
AdjectiveEdit
positīve
Norwegian BokmålEdit
AdjectiveEdit
positive
Norwegian NynorskEdit
AdjectiveEdit
positive
SpanishEdit
PronunciationEdit
VerbEdit
positive
- First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of positivar.
- Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of positivar.
- Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of positivar.
- Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of positivar.
SwedishEdit
AdjectiveEdit
positive
- absolute definite natural masculine form of positiv.