adj
positive
PAH-zih-tihv
adj
1
Optimistic, constructive, or good in effect.
"She stayed positive despite the setback."
"The reviews were overwhelmingly positive."
2
Certain or confident about something.
"I'm positive I locked the door."
3
Greater than zero, in mathematics.
"The result must be a positive number."
4
Showing the presence of a substance or condition being tested for, as in a medical test.
"His test came back positive for the virus."
noun
1
A favorable point or characteristic.
"One positive of remote work is the flexible schedule."
How to Use Positive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGood, optimistic, certain, greater than zero, or showing a detected result on a test — the meaning shifts with context.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
positive attitude
test positive
positive number
stay positive
Word Forms
more positive comparative, positives plural, most positive superlative
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Etymology
From Latin positivus, related to ponere ("to place"), originally meaning "formally laid down" before it took on its modern sense of "affirmative."