negative
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nega·tive (neg′ə tiv)
adjective
- containing, expressing, or implying a denial or refusal; that says “no” a negative reply
- opposite to something regarded as positive; specif.,
- lacking in positive character or quality
- lacking evidence, affirmation, etc.
- having the effect of diminishing, depriving, or denying
- faultfinding, antagonistic, destructive, etc. negative criticism, a negative political campaign
- Biol. directed away from the source of a stimulus negative tropism
- ☆ Elec.
- of, generating, or charged with negative electricity
- having an excess of electrons
- Logic denying something about a subject “no reptiles are warmblooded” is a negative proposition
- Math. designating a quantity less than zero, or one to be subtracted; minus quantity
- Med. not having or not demonstrating, showing, or proving the presence or existence of a condition, infection, symptoms, bacteria, etc. a patient who is negative for TB; the X-rays were negative
- Photog. reversing the relation of light and shade of the subject
Etymology: ME negatife < OFr or L: OFr négatif < L negativus < negatus: see negation
adverb, interjection
noun
- a word, affix, phrase, etc. that denies, rejects, or refuses (Ex.: no, not, by no means)
- a statement of denial, refusal, or rejection
- the point of view that denies or attacks the positive or affirmative the negative won the debate
- an undesirable element or quality; drawback, shortcoming, defect, etc.
- an impression of something, as a sculpture, that shows it in reverse
- Obsolete the right of veto
- Elec. a terminal, electrode, or plate having an excess of electrons flowing out toward a positive terminal, electrode, or plate, as in a storage battery or dry cell
- Math. a quantity less than zero, or one to be subtracted; minus quantity
- Photog. an exposed and developed photographic film or plate on which light and shadow are the reverse of what they are in the positive printed from this
transitive verb negatived -·tived, negativing -·tiv·ing
- to refuse; reject
- ☆ to veto (a candidate, motion, or bill)
- to deny; contradict
- to prove false; disprove
- to counteract; neutralize
interjection
Related Forms:
- negatively neg′a·tively adverb
- negativeness neg′a·tive·ness noun or negativity neg′a·tiv′·ity
in the negative
- in refusal or denial of a plan, suggestion, etc.
- with a denial or negative answer
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
negative
modif.
Involving a refusal
denying, negatory, dissentient, disavowing, contradictory, contrary, adverse, adversarial, repugnant, recusant, gainsaying, impugning, contravening, rejecting, naysaying, disallowing, nullifying, negating. Antonyms
admissible*, assenting, accepting. Lacking positive qualities
unaffirmative, absent, removed, privative, neutralizing, counteractive, annulling, abrogating, invalidating. Antonyms
emphatic*, positive*, affirmative. * Pessimistic
cynical, unenthusiastic, uninterested, glum, morose, cool*, cold*.
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Converse of object
- outweigh: Having watched him week in, week out I know that the positives outweigh the negatives.
Adjective modifier
- false: They also produce some ' false negatives ' with supposed antidepressant drugs ' .
Modifies a noun
- impact: World War I had a generally negative impact on Honduras.
Modifying Another Word
- overwhelmingly: The second chart has a slightly debilitated Mercury in an overwhelmingly negative chart, with the Moon applying by opposition.
Noun used with modifier
- collodion: PSS Exhibition - 1864 John Pouncy's entries in the PSS 9th Exhibition in December 1864 were all collodion negatives.
Used with adjective complement
- prove: Further tests were carried out at the World Championships, again all proved negative.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
Negative Capability; that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.
Electricity is of two kinds, positive and negative. The difference is, I presume, that one comes a little more expensive, but is more durable; the other is a cheaper thing, but the moths get into it.
Great Negative, how vainly would the wise Enquire, define, distinguish, teach, devise, Didst thou not stand to point their blind Philosophies.
Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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MLA Style
"negative." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/negative>
APA Style
negative. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/negative
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