positive

adjective

• 1consisting in or characterized by the presence or possession of features or qualities rather than their absence.
• (of a statement or decision) expressing or implying affirmation, agreement, or permission:the company received a positive response from investors
• (of the results of a test or experiment) indicating the presence of something:three players who had tested positive for cocaine use
• constructive in intention or attitude:there needs to be a positive approach to youthful offenders
• showing optimism and confidence:I hope you will be feeling very positive about your chances of success
• showing pleasing progress, gain, or improvement:the election result will have a positive effect because it will restore people’s confidence

• 2with no possibility of doubt; clear and definite:he made a positive identification of a glossy ibis
• convinced or confident in one’s opinion; certain:“You are sure it was the same man?” “Positive!” [with clause]:I am positive that he is not coming back
• [attributive] informal downright; complete (used for emphasis):it’s a positive delight to see you

• 3of, containing, producing, or denoting an electric charge opposite to that carried by electrons.

• 4(of a photographic image) showing lights and shades or colors true to the original.

• 5 Grammar (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a quality in its basic, primary degree. Contrasted with comparative and superlative.

• 6chiefly Philosophy dealing only with matters of fact and experience; not speculative or theoretical. Compare with positivism (sense 1).

• 7(of a quantity) greater than zero.

• 8 Astrology of, relating to, or denoting any of the air or fire signs, considered active in nature.

noun

• 1a good, affirmative, or constructive quality or attribute:take your weaknesses and translate them into positives to manage your way out of recession, accentuate the positive

• 2a photographic image showing lights and shades or colors true to the original, especially one printed from a negative.

• 3a result of a test or experiment indicating the presence of something:let us look at the distribution of those positives

• 4the part of an electric circuit that is at a higher electrical potential than another point designated as having zero electrical potential.

• 5 Grammar an adjective or adverb in the positive degree.

• 6 Musicanother term for positif.

• 7a number greater than zero.