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positive

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positive

  • /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/ US
  • /-ɾɪv/ US

Rhymes with -ɒzɪtɪv

Where it comes from

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep

Proto-Indo-European *-o

Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó

Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó

Proto-Italic *po

Proto-Indo-European *teḱ-

Proto-Indo-European *-éyti

Proto-Indo-European *tḱéytibf.

Proto-Indo-European *tḱey-

Proto-Indo-European *-né-

Proto-Indo-European *-ti

Proto-Indo-European *tḱinéti

Proto-Italic *sinō

Proto-Italic *pozinō

Latin pōnō

Proto-Indo-European *-wós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.

Latin īvus

Latin positivusder.

Old French positifbor.

English positive

From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.

adjective more positive · most positive · +ve

  1. Included, present, characterized by affirmation.
  2. Formally laid down. In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.
  3. Stated definitively and without qualification. Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.
  4. Fully assured in opinion. I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.
  5. Greater than zero.
  6. sometimes Greater than or equal to zero. Notice that each time the calculator balance becomes positive (zero or greater), the dollar item that forces this balance to become positive is selected for examination. Since each of these dollar items is contained […]
  7. Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better. Not to conſent to the Enacting of ſuch a Law, which has no view beſide to general Good, 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?
  8. Overconfident, dogmatic. Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always so.
  9. Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative. [I]f the privation be good, it followes not the former condition was evill, but lesse good; for the flower or blossome, is a positive good, although the remove of it to give place to the fruit, be a comparative good.
  10. Having more protons than electrons. A cation is a positive ion as it has more protons than electrons.
  11. 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’.
  12. Describing a verb that is not negated, especially in languages which have distinct positive and negative verb forms, e.g., Finnish.
  13. Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations. The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.
  14. 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.
  15. Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis. The results of our experiment are positive.
  16. Confirmed, straight-up. Ben […], who seems at first to be a likable guy but is actually a positive sexist.
  17. Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values. A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.
  18. Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged. The first-night reviews were largely positive.
  19. Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright. Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.
  20. Optimistic. He has a positive outlook on life.
  21. electropositive
  22. basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.
  23. slang HIV positive. 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.
  24. New Age, jargon Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable. positive energy; positive thoughts, feelings or emotions

noun positives · +ve

  1. A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual. rating Positives by their Privatives
  2. A favourable point or characteristic. Not a bad situation when we weigh all the positives.
  3. Something having a positive value in physics, such as an electric charge.
  4. A degree of comparison of adjectives and adverbs.
  5. An adjective or adverb in the positive degree.
  6. A positive image; one that displays true colors and shades, not their opposites or complements.
  7. The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
  8. A positive result of a test.

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