pos·i·tive (p z  -tv)adj.1. Characterized by or displaying certainty, acceptance, or affirmation: a positive answer; positive criticism. 2. Measured or moving forward or in a direction of increase or progress. 3. Explicitly or openly expressed or laid down: a positive demand. 4. Admitting of no doubt; irrefutable: positive proof. 5. a. Very sure; confident: I'm positive he's right. See Synonyms at sure. b. Overconfident; dogmatic. 6. Formally or arbitrarily determined; prescribed. 7. Concerned with practical rather than theoretical matters. 8. Composed of or characterized by the presence of particular qualities or attributes; real. 9. Philosophy a. Of or relating to positivism. b. Of or relating to laws imposed by human authority rather than by nature or reason alone: "the glaring discrepancy between American positive law and natural rights" David Brion Davis. c. Of or relating to religion based on revelation rather than on nature or reason alone. 10. Informal Utter; absolute: a positive darling. 11. Mathematics a. Relating to or designating a quantity greater than zero. b. Relating to or designating the sign (+). c. Relating to or designating a quantity, number, angle, or direction opposite to another designated as negative. 12. Physics Relating to or designating an electric charge of a sign opposite to that of an electron. 13. Medicine Indicating the presence of a particular disease, condition, or organism: a positive test for pregnancy. 14. Biology Indicating or characterized by response or motion toward the source of a stimulus, such as light: positive tropism. 15. Having the areas of light and dark in their original and normal relationship, as in a photographic print made from a negative. 16. Grammar Of, relating to, or being the simple uncompared degree of an adjective or adverb, as opposed to either the comparative or superlative. 17. Driven by or generating power directly through intermediate machine parts having little or no play: positive drive. n.1. An affirmative element or characteristic. 2. Mathematics A quantity greater than zero. 3. Physics A positive electric charge. 4. A photographic image in which the lights and darks appear as they do in nature. 5. Grammar a. The uncompared degree of an adjective or adverb. b. A word in this degree. 6. Music A division of some pipe organs, similar in sound to the great but smaller and less powerful.
[Middle English, having a specified quality, from Old French positif, from Latin posit vus, formally laid down, from positus, past participle of p nere, to place; see apo- in Indo-European roots.]
posi·tive·ly adv. |
positive Adjective 1. expressing certainty: a positive answer 2. definite or certain: are you absolutely positive about the date? 3. tending to emphasize what is good; constructive: positive thinking 4. tending towards progress or improvement: investment that could have a positive impact on the company's fortunes 5. Philosophy constructive rather than sceptical 6. Informal complete; downright: a positive delight 7. Maths having a value greater than zero: a positive number 8. Grammar denoting the unmodified form of an adjective as opposed to its comparative or superlative form 9. Physics (of an electric charge) having an opposite charge to that of an electron 11. Med (of the result of an examination or test) indicating the presence of a suspected condition or organism Noun 1. something positive 2. Maths a quantity greater than zero 3. Photog a print showing an image whose colours and tones correspond to those of the original subject 4. Grammar the positive degree of an adjective or adverb 5. a positive object, such as a terminal in a cell [Late Latin positivus] positively adv
positiveness
positivity n
positive (pz-tv)1. Greater than zero. 2. Having an electric charge or voltage greater than zero. 3. Indicating the presence of a disease, condition, or organism, as a diagnostic test. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. | positive - the primary form of an adjective or adverb; denotes a quality without qualification, comparison, or relation to increase or diminutionadjective - a word that expresses an attribute of something adverb - a word that modifies something other than a noun | | 2. |  positive - a film showing a photographic image whose tones correspond to those of the original subjectphotographic film, film - photographic material consisting of a base of celluloid covered with a photographic emulsion; used to make negatives or transparencies | | Adj. | 1. | positive - characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.; "a positive attitude"; "the reviews were all positive"; "a positive benefit"; "a positive demand"constructive - constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission" optimistic - expecting the best in this best of all possible worlds; "in an optimistic mood"; "optimistic plans"; "took an optimistic view" supportive - furnishing support or assistance; "a supportive family network"; "his family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer" negative - characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features; "a negative outlook on life"; "a colorless negative personality"; "a negative evaluation"; "a negative reaction to an advertising campaign" neutral - possessing no distinctive quality or characteristics | | 2. | positive - persuaded of; very sure; "were convinced that it would be to their advantage to join"; "I am positive he is lying"; "was confident he would win"sure, certain - having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured; "felt certain of success"; "was sure (or certain) she had seen it"; "was very sure in his beliefs"; "sure of her friends" | | 3. | positive - involving advantage or good; "a plus (or positive) factor"advantageous - giving an advantage; "a contract advantageous to our country"; "socially advantageous to entertain often" | | 4. | positive - indicating existence or presence of a suspected condition or pathogen; "a positive pregnancy test"disconfirming, negative - not indicating the presence of microorganisms or disease or a specific condition; "the HIV test was negative" | | 5. | positive - formally laid down or imposed; "positive laws"formal - being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress); "pay one's formal respects"; "formal dress"; "a formal ball"; "the requirement was only formal and often ignored"; "a formal education" | | 6. | positive - impossible to deny or disprove; "incontrovertible proof of the defendant's innocence"; "proof positive"; "an irrefutable argument" | | 7. | positive - of or relating to positivism; "positivist thinkers"; "positivist doctrine"; "positive philosophy" | | 8. | positive - reckoned, situated or tending in the direction which naturally or arbitrarily is taken to indicate increase or progress or onward motion; "positive increase in graduating students"negative - reckoned in a direction opposite to that regarded as positive; "negative interest rates" | | 9. | positive - greater than zero; "positive numbers"math, mathematics, maths - a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement plus - on the positive side or higher end of a scale; "a plus value"; "temperature of plus 5 degrees"; "a grade of C plus" | | 10. | positive - having a positive charge; "protons are positive"charged - of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge; "charged particles"; "a charged battery" | | 11. | positive - marked by excessive confidence; "an arrogant and cocksure materialist"; "so overconfident and impudent as to speak to the queen"; "the less he knows the more positive he gets"confident - having or marked by confidence or assurance; "a confident speaker"; "a confident reply"; "his manner is more confident these days"; "confident of fulfillment" |
positive adjective 1. beneficial, effective, useful, practical, helpful, progressive, productive, worthwhile, constructive, pragmatic, efficacious << OPPOSITE harmful adjective 3. definite, real, clear, firm, certain, direct, express, actual, absolute, concrete, decisive, explicit, affirmative, clear-cut, unmistakable, conclusive, unequivocal, indisputable, categorical, incontrovertible, nailed-on ( slang) << OPPOSITE inconclusive adjective 4. ( Informal) absolute, complete, perfect, right Brit. ( informal) real, total, rank, sheer, utter, thorough, downright, consummate, veritable, unqualified, out-and-out, unmitigated, thoroughgoing, unalloyed  Translations
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positive [ˈpɔzɪtɪv] adj → positivo (= certain); seguro (= definite); definitivo;
positive [ˈpɔzɪtɪv] adj → positif/ive (= certain); sûr(e) → certain(e) (= definite); formel(le) → catégorique (= clear); indéniable, réel(le)
positive [ˈpɔzɪtɪv] adj → positiv (= certain); sicher (= decisive) [action, policy] → konstruktiv
positive [ˈpɔzɪtɪv] adj → positivo/a (= certain); sicuro/a, certo/a (= definite); preciso/a; definitivo/a
i·tiv
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