ENGLISH
REFERENCE

negative

adj. · n. · interj. · v.
US //ˈnɛɡətɪv// UK //nˈɛɡətˌɪv// neg·a·tive
  1. 1 bad or unfavorable (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    bad, harmful, or not helpful.

    expressing or containing a lack of positive or desirable qualities; unfavorable in nature.

    Example

    The movie received many negative reviews from critics who hated the ending.

    Example

    The constant negative feedback from his supervisor began to erode his confidence and affected his overall productivity.
  2. 2 less than zero (adj.)
    A2 Elementary Math

    describing a number that is less than zero.

    denoting a quantity less than zero; represented by the minus sign.

    Example

    The temperature dropped to negative five degrees last night.

    Example

    The company reported negative growth for the third consecutive quarter, sparking concerns among the major shareholders.
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  1. 3 medical results (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    showing that a disease or condition was not found.

    indicating that a specific substance, condition, or microorganism was not detected in a clinical test.

    Example

    He was relieved when his COVID test came back negative.

    Example

    The biopsy results were fortunately negative, ruling out the presence of malignant cells in the tissue sample.
  2. 4 electricity (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    having the kind of electrical charge that electrons have.

    having an electrical charge opposite to that of a proton; associated with an excess of electrons.

    Example

    The negative terminal of the battery is marked with a minus sign.

    Example

    Electrons carry a negative charge and orbit the nucleus of an atom in specific energy levels.
  3. 5 a disadvantage (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a bad feature or a disadvantage.

    a disadvantageous or undesirable quality or aspect.

    Example

    The job has a high salary, but the long hours are a big negative.

    Example

    When weighing the pros and cons of the merger, the board focused on the potential negatives regarding staff retention.
  4. 6 photography (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Photography

    an image where light areas look dark and dark areas look light.

    a photographic image made on film or glass in which the light and dark areas are reversed.

    Example

    He kept the negatives in a box so he could print more photos later.

    Example

    The archivist carefully handled the glass negatives, ensuring that the historical images were preserved for digital scanning.
  5. 7 grammar/logic (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Linguistics

    a word or statement that means 'no' or 'not'.

    a word, phrase, or statement that expresses denial or refusal.

    Example

    In English, 'not' and 'never' are common negatives.

    Example

    The witness answered in the negative when asked if he had seen the defendant on the night of the crime.
  6. 8 saying no (interj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    a formal or military way to say 'no'.

    used as a substitute for 'no' in radio communications or formal contexts to ensure clarity.

    Example

    Negative, we have not reached the target yet.

    Example

    The pilot responded with a crisp 'negative' when air traffic control asked if the runway was in sight.
    • no
    • negative ghostrider
  7. 9 to cancel out (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to stop something from having an effect.

    to neutralize or counteract the effect of something; to render ineffective.

    Example

    The player's great goal was negatived by a mistake at the end of the game.

    Example

    The advantages of the new tax policy were largely negatived by the sudden rise in inflation rates.
Origin

From Middle English negative, negatif, from Old French negatif, from Latin negātīvus (“that denies, negative”), from negāre (“to deny”); see negate.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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