positivo Italian · revision 39086

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1336, Boccaccio|origins=la pōnō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /po.ziˈti.vo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''positivo''' (feminine positiva, masculine plural positivi, feminine plural positive)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|positīvus|t=laid down, established]], a learned word formed on [[m|la|positus|t=placed]], the past participle of [[m|la|pōnō|t=to put, place]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The Latin grammarians used it for the positive degree of the adjective; in Scholastic terminology it came to mean “containing an affirmation”, as against [[m|la|negātīvus]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3034) The same learned word is [[fr|positif]], recorded from 1265, and [[es|positivo]].^(GDLI)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Two later senses came from other languages.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) In photography the adjective and the noun [[positiva]] follow [[en|positive]], recorded in 1840.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|3034) The sense “founded on the natural sciences” comes from the positive philosophy of Auguste Comte (1830), and [[positivismo]] and [[positivista]] are [[fr|positivisme]] and [[m|fr|positiviste]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record, in Boccaccio about 1336, has the sense “laid down by someone, established by a historical act”, the sense of ''diritto positivo'', law made by human authority.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Pallavicino (before 1667) uses the word for something affirmative that gives certainty.^(DELI 1999) In mathematics it described numbers greater than zero before 1742 (Guido Grandi), and in physics Volta used it in 1816 for one of two opposite conventional states, as in positive electricity.^(DELI 1999) The sense “practical, sticking to facts” was recorded by Ugolini in 1848, with the example of a man who “goes after what is certain”;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''positività'' is from the same year.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The modern senses “favourable”, “good” and “optimistic” (''un tipo positivo'') extend the idea of affirmation.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In medicine a test is ''positivo'' when it finds what is looked for, and so is the patient; the GDLI quotes a newspaper of 1988.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1336 – Boccaccio uses ''positivo'' for something established by an act.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1667 – Sforza Pallavicino uses it for “affirmative, giving certainty”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1742 – Guido Grandi uses it of numbers greater than zero.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1816 – Alessandro Volta uses it in physics.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1840 – English ''positive'' is used in photography.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1848 – Ugolini records the sense “practical, matter-of-fact”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1988 – A newspaper uses ''positivo'' of a medical test.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Real, founded on facts that can be verified; certain: ''Non abbiamo ancora notizie positive.'' The ''scienze positive'' are the exact and experimental sciences.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|good|alt=Good]], useful, advantageous: ''L'incontro ha avuto un esito positivo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # [[m|en|favourable|alt=Favourable]], approving: ''un parere positivo sul progetto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|affirmative|alt=Affirmative]]: ''Ha dato una risposta positiva.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of a person, practical and down-to-earth, or [[m|en|optimistic]] and constructive: ''È una ragazza molto positiva, non si scoraggia mai.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(law)'' Laid down by an authority, as opposed to natural: ''diritto positivo''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(mathematics, physics)'' Greater than zero; of electric charge, opposite to negative.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(medicine)'' Of a test, showing the presence of what is sought; of a patient, having the condition tested for.^(GDLI)

+ # ''(photography)'' Of an image, with lights and shades as in the subject.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Of an adjective, in the base degree.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3034)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[positiva]]

+ * [[positività]]

+ * [[positivamente]]

+ * [[positivismo]]

+ * [[positivista]]

+ * [[positivistico]]

+ * [[diapositiva]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[negativo]]

+ * [[porre]]

+ * [[posto]]

+ * [[la|positivus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Used as a noun, ''il positivo'' is what is good in something: ''di positivo c'è che…''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In photography the noun [[positiva]] is a print made from the negative.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) DEI also records an obsolete noun ''positivo'', a small chamber organ.^(DEI|3034)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}