positive English · revision 2651

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1325|origins=la pōnere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpɒz.ə.tɪv/, US /ˈpɑː.zə.t̬ɪv/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|positif]],^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|positif|t=laid down]] and directly [[bor|la|positīvus|t=settled by agreement, positive]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from positus, the past participle of [[m|la|pōnere|t=to put, place, lay down]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[position]] and [[postpone]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of laws, “formally laid down, decreed by authority” (as opposed to natural): before 1325^(Barnhart 1988) or the early 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Absolute” is from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) In grammar the ''positive'' degree of an adjective is from 1447,^(OED 1989) and the noun from 1530, in Palsgrave.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) As the opposite of ''negative'' the word first appears before 1398, in Trevisa,^(Barnhart 1988) but in technical uses later: in philosophy, “practical, dealing with facts”, from 1594,^(Barnhart 1988) in mathematics, “greater than zero”, from 1704, and in electricity from 1755.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Proof positive'', “explicit, definite”, is first recorded in Shakespeare's ''Merry Wives of Windsor'' (1598).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Of people, “confident in opinion, very sure”, is from the 1660s (1665).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In photography a positive is from 1840^(Barnhart 1988) or by 1853.^(Etymonline) The psychological sense “concentrating on what is constructive and good” is from 1916, and ''positive thinking'' from 1953.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – formally laid down.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1447 – the positive degree in grammar.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-15th century – absolute.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1598 – ''proof positive''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1665 – very sure.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1704 – greater than zero.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1755 – positive electricity.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1840 – a photographic positive.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1916 – optimistic, constructive.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Hopeful and confident; [[optimistic]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Completely certain: ''are you positive?''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Showing [[agreement]] or approval: ''a positive response''.^(AHD)

+ # Clear and definite: ''positive proof''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # Of a medical test, showing that something is present.^(AHD)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' Greater than zero.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # ''(physics)'' Having the electric charge of a [[proton]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Of an adjective or adverb, in its simple form, not [[comparative]] or [[superlative]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A good or useful quality.^(AHD)

+ # A photographic image with light and dark as in nature.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(grammar)'' The positive degree.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[positively]]

+ * [[positiveness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[position]]

+ * [[positivism]]

+ * [[positivity]]

+ * [[posit]]

+ * [[postpone]]

+ * [[deposit]]

+ * [[compose]]

+ * [[negative]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}