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REFERENCE

positive

adj. · n.
US //ˈpɑzətɪv// UK //pˈɒzɪtˌɪv// pos·i·tive
  1. 1 optimistic or good (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    thinking about the good parts of a situation; hopeful and confident.

    characterised by or displaying an optimistic attitude or constructive quality.

    Example

    Try to stay positive even when things are difficult at work.

    Example

    The manager provided positive feedback during the annual review, highlighting several areas where the team had exceeded their quarterly targets.
  2. 2 certain (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    completely sure that something is correct or true.

    fully assured in opinion or assertion; certain of a fact.

    Example

    Are you positive that you locked the front door before we left?

    Example

    The witness remained positive about the identity of the suspect, despite intense questioning from the defence attorney.
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  1. 3 math/science (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Technical Science

    describing a number greater than zero, or a type of electric charge.

    denoting a quantity greater than zero, or relating to the kind of electricity that is carried by protons.

    Example

    The temperature stayed positive all day, so the ice on the road melted.

    Example

    In this chemical reaction, the positive ions migrate toward the cathode while the negative ions move in the opposite direction.
  2. 4 medical results (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    showing that a disease or condition is present after a medical test.

    indicating the presence of a particular condition, substance, or organism in a clinical test.

    Example

    He had a positive test result for the flu and had to stay home.

    Example

    The laboratory confirmed a positive result for the antibodies, suggesting that the patient had been exposed to the virus previously.
  3. 5 grammar (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Academic

    the basic form of an adjective, like 'big' instead of 'bigger'.

    relating to the primary degree of an adjective or adverb, as opposed to the comparative or superlative.

    Example

    In the sentence 'He is tall', the word 'tall' is in the positive degree.

    Example

    The student struggled to identify the positive form of the irregular adverb, mistakenly providing the comparative instead.
    • base form
  4. 6 a good feature (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a good quality or a reason to be happy about a situation.

    a quality or attribute that is advantageous or beneficial.

    Example

    One of the positives of the new job is that it is very close to my house.

    Example

    Despite the project's failure, the team focused on the positives, such as the new technical skills they had acquired during the process.
  5. 7 photography (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a photograph that shows the real colors, not the opposite ones like a negative.

    a film or print that shows the images in their natural colours and shades.

    Example

    The photographer developed the film and produced a clear positive.

    Example

    Before digital sensors became standard, slide film was used to create a transparent positive that could be projected onto a large screen.
Origin

From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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