Etimology
From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.
adjective
positive (comparative more positive, superlative most positive)
Included, present, characterized by affirmation.
(law) Formally laid down. [from the 14th c.]
Stated definitively and without qualification. [from the 16th c.]
Fully assured in opinion. [from the 17th c.]
(mathematics) Of number, greater than zero. [from the 18th c.]
Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.
Overconfident, dogmatic.
(chiefly philosophy) Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.
(physics) Having more protons than electrons.
(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.
Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations.
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.
(New Age jargon) Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable; (often precedes 'energy', 'thought', 'feeling' or 'emotion').
downright, confirmed, straight-up.
Examples
In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.
Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son.
Synonyms: certain, sure, wis
Antonyms: uncertain, unsure
I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.
Antonym: nonpositive
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?
Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always so.
[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.
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...
Antonym: negative
A cation is a positive ion as it has more protons than electrons.
‘Better’ is an irregular comparative of the positive form ‘good’.
Synonym: absolute
The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.
positive knowledge
The box was not empty – I felt some positive substance within it.
The results of our experiment are positive.
A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.
The first-night reviews were largely positive.
Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.
He has a positive outlook on life.
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.
Negative feelings can be worked through and their energy converted into positive energy... In crisis, normal patterns of self-organization fail, resulting in anxiety . Being open systems, people can exchange this energy with the environment and create positive energy for taking action...
Ben […] , who seems at first to be a likable guy but is actually a positive sexist.
noun
positive (plural positives)
A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual.
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.
Examples
rating Positives by their Privatives