different between positive vs affirmative
positive
English
Alternative forms
- +ve (abbreviation)
Etymology
From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?p?z??t?v/
- (General American) enPR: p?z??-t?v, IPA(key): /?p?z??t?v/
- Rhymes: -?z?t?v
- Hyphenation (UK): pos?it?ive, (US): pos?i?tive
Adjective
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.]
- Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.
- Fully assured in opinion. [from the 17th c.]
- (mathematics) Of number, greater than zero. [from the 18th c.]
- Antonym: nonpositive
- Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.
- Overconfident, dogmatic.
- (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.
- Antonym: negative
- (grammar) Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.
- Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute.
- Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.
- Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.
- (photography) Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.
- Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.
- Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.
- Optimistic. [from the 20th c.]
- (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
Synonyms
- (steadfast in one's knowledge or belief): certain, sure, wis
Antonyms
- (doubtful): uncertain, unsure
- (spiritual quality): bad, evil, nongood
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
positive (plural positives)
- A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual.
- 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.
Translations
Danish
Adjective
positive
- inflection of positiv:
- definite singular
- plural
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /po.zi.tiv/
- Homophones: positivent, positives
Adjective
positive
- feminine singular of positif
Verb
positive
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of positiver
- second-person singular imperative of positiver
German
Pronunciation
Adjective
positive
- inflection of positiv:
- strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
- strong nominative/accusative plural
- weak nominative all-gender singular
- weak accusative feminine/neuter singular
Italian
Adjective
positive
- feminine plural of positivo
Anagrams
- sopitevi
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /po.si?ti?.u?e/, [p?s???t?i?u??]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /po.si?ti.ve/, [p?s?i?t?i?v?]
Adjective
posit?ve
- vocative masculine singular of posit?vus
Norwegian Bokmål
Adjective
positive
- definite singular of positiv
- plural of positiv
Norwegian Nynorsk
Adjective
positive
- definite singular of positiv
- plural of positiv
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /posi?tibe/, [po.si?t?i.??e]
Verb
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.
Swedish
Adjective
positive
- absolute definite natural masculine form of positiv.
positive From the web:
- what positive words start with k
- what positive words start with e
- what positive words start with x
- what positive number doubles
- what's a positive word that starts with k
affirmative
English
Etymology
From Middle English affirmative, affirmatyve, from Old French affirmatif, from Latin affirmativus, from affirmare (“to assert”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /??f??m?t?v/
- (US) IPA(key): /??f?m?t?v/
Adjective
affirmative (comparative more affirmative, superlative most affirmative)
- pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming
- pertaining to any assertion or active confirmation that favors a particular result
- positive
- Confirmative; ratifying.
- dogmatic
- 1732, George Berkeley, Alciphron, or the Minute Philosopher
- Lysicles was a little disconcerted by the affirmative air of Crito.
- 1732, George Berkeley, Alciphron, or the Minute Philosopher
- (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition.
- (algebra) positive; not negative
Derived terms
- affirmative action
- affirmatively
Translations
Noun
affirmative (plural affirmatives)
- Yes; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
- Antonym: negative
- (grammar) An answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
- (obsolete) An assertion.
- 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.17:
- that every hare is both male and female, beside the vulgar opinion, was the affirmative of Archelaus, of Plutarch, Philostratus, and many more.
- 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.17:
Translations
Interjection
affirmative
- An elaborate synonym for the word yes.
- (military, especially radio communications) Yes; true; correct.
See also
- affirmative sentence
References
- affirmative at OneLook Dictionary Search
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /a.fi?.ma.tiv/
Adjective
affirmative
- feminine singular of affirmatif
German
Adjective
affirmative
- inflection of affirmativ:
- strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
- strong nominative/accusative plural
- weak nominative all-gender singular
- weak accusative feminine/neuter singular
Latin
Adjective
affirm?t?ve
- vocative masculine singular of affirm?t?vus
affirmative From the web:
- what affirmative action
- what affirmative defenses must be pled
- what affirmative means
- what affirmative action means
- what affirmative action entails
- what affirmative sentences
- what exactly is affirmative action
- what is affirmative action and how does it work
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