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negativus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word negativus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Gaius
Ultimate origin
Latin (negō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin negativus
English negative

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [nɛ.ɡaːˈtiː.wʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ne.ɡaˈtiː.vus][1]

Forms

negātīvus (feminine negātīva, neuter negātīvum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin negō (“to deny”) + -īvus.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaius, in his Institutes, calls a legal action negative when it is brought to restrain an opponent.[2][4] Köbler dates Gaius 140–180 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant restraining, inhibiting, of actions, and in grammar negative, of words, as Gaius says two negative words in a law permit rather than forbid.[2] Lewis & Short call it a post-classical replacement for the participle of negō.[4] Apuleius has a negative particle, and Servius and the scholia on Juvenal oppose it to cōnfirmātīvus.[4][6] Donatus uses the feminine as a noun, a negation.[7]

In British medieval Latin it was used in grammar, logic and law, and of negative votes in parliament.[8] English negative is recorded around 1400.[3]

Timeline

  • 140–180 AD – Gaius uses it of actions and words.[2][5]
  • c. 400 AD – Servius uses it in grammar.[6][5]
  • c. 1400 – English negative is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (law) Restraining, inhibiting.[2][1]
  2. (grammar) Denying, negative.[2][1]

Noun

  1. In the feminine, a negation.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Negativus.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/negativus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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