positive

inflection of positiv:
definite singular


positive

Included, present, characterized by affirmation.

In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.

1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie:

Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.

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:

Stated definitively and without qualification.

I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.

(mathematics) Of number, greater than zero.

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?

1701, [Jonathan Swift], “Chapter I”, in A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome, with the Consequences They Had upon Both Those States, London: […] John Nutt […], →OCLC, page 11:

Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.

Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always so.

1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:

[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.

1597, Francis [Bacon], “Of the Colours of Good and Evill, a Fragment”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland […], published 1632, →OCLC:

1885, Marcellin Berthelot, Les Origines de l'Alkimie as quoted in M. M. Pattison Muir, A History of Chemical Theories and Laws, 1907.
Chemistry is not a primitive science, like geometry or astronomy; it is constructed from the debris of a previous scientific formation; a formation half chimerical and half positive...

(chiefly philosophy) Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.

A cation is a positive ion as it has more protons than electrons.

(physics) Having more protons than electrons.

‘Better’ is an irregular comparative of the positive form ‘good’.

(grammar) Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.

(grammar) Describing a verb that is not negated, especially in languages which have distinct positive and negative verb forms, e.g., Finnish.

The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.

positive knowledge

Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations.

The box was not empty – I felt some positive substance within it.

Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.

The results of our experiment are positive.

Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.

A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.

(photography) Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.

The first-night reviews were largely positive.

Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.

Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.

Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.

He has a positive outlook on life.

(chemistry) basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.

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)

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, page 15:

(New Age jargon) Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable; (often precedes 'energy', 'thought', 'feeling' or 'emotion').

Ben […], who seems at first to be a likable guy but is actually a positive sexist.

1986 April 19, Shelley Mains, “TV Shows Dykes as Yuppie "Gay Women"”, in Gay Community News, page 6:

en-adj

positive (comparative more positive, superlative most positive)

more positive (comparative)
most positive (superlative)
+ve (alternative)

определен

stated definitively and without qualification

مُوجَب

physics: having more protons than electrons

absoluuttinen

derived from an object by itself; absolute

positiu

characterised by the existence rather than absence of qualities or features

positiivinen

characterised by features which support a hypothesis

позитивен

photography: of a visual image true to the original

but for expressions like stay positive locker and gelassen are options

used in the same contexts with different implication

positiivinen

New Age jargon: good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable

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


positive

rating Positives by their Privatives

1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:

A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual.

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.

Coordinate term: diapositive

(photography) A positive image; one that displays true colors and shades, not their opposites or complements.

The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.

positiivi

grammar: adjective or adverb in the positive degree


positive

first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive

inflection of positiver:
second-person singular imperative


positive

strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular

inflection of positiv:
strong nominative/accusative plural

inflection of positiv:
weak nominative all-gender singular

weak accusative feminine/neuter singular


positive

vocative masculine singular of positīvus


positive

first/third-person singular present subjunctive

inflection of positivar:
third-person singular imperative


positive

definite natural masculine singular of positiv