How do you pronounce positive?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/.

positive

/ˈpɑzɪtɪv/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.99 in modern English

Syllables: pos-it-ive
IPA: /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Included, present, characterized by affirmation.

adj

Formally laid down.

adj

Stated definitively and without qualification.

adj

Fully assured in opinion.

adj

Greater than zero.

adj

Greater than or equal to zero.

adj

Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.

adj

Overconfident, dogmatic.

Example Sentences

"In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so."
"Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward’s son."
"I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong."
"Notice that each time the calculator balance becomes positive (zero or greater), the dollar item that forces this balance to become positive is selected for examination. Since each of these dollar items is contained […]"
"a step 10 which judges whether each of the m amounts of differences in amount of voltage changes ΔHv1 to ΔHvm are positive (zero or greater than zero) or negative (less than zero): and […]"
"Not to conſent to the Enacting of ſuch a Law, which has no view beſide to general Good, unleſs another Law ſhall at the ſame time paſs, with no other view but that of advancing the Power of one Party alone; What is this but to claim a positive Voice as well as a negative?"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó Proto-Italic *po Proto-Indo-European *teḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-éyti Proto-Indo-European *tḱéytibf. Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *tḱinéti Proto-Italic *sinō Proto-Italic *pozinō Latin pōnō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin īvus Latin positivusder. Old French positifbor. English positive From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.

Origin

Source language: Old French

Word Breakdown

Root: positif, positivus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

more positive (comparative) most positive (superlative) +ve (alternative) positives (plural)

Derived Forms

contrapositive copositive copropositive cytopositive diapositive dipositive geopositive homopositive hydropositive immunofluoropositive immunopositive interpositive

Phrases

A positive body-positive COVID-positive false positive gram-positive HIV-positive I am HIV positive limit of positive stability

Frequently Paired Words

diapositive

Synonyms

certain sure wis nonnegative absolute good acceptable agreeable all right amazing as fine as Dick's hatband awesome

Antonyms

uncertain unsure negative nonpositive bad abysmal atrocious awful chronic coarse corny crap

Rhymes With

causative dispositive