POSITIVE

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin positivus, from positus, past participle of ponere Date: 14th century 1. formally laid down or imposed ; prescribed , expressed clearly or peremptorily , fully assured ; confident , 2. of, relating to, or constituting the degree of comparison that is expressed in English by the unmodified and uninflected form of an adjective or adverb and denotes no increase or diminution, b. independent of changing circumstances ; unconditioned , relating to or constituting a motion or device that is definite, unyielding, constant, or certain in its action , c. incontestable , unqualified , 3. not fictitious ; real , active and effective in social or economic function rather than merely maintaining peace and order , 4. indicating, relating to, or characterized by affirmation, addition, inclusion, or presence rather than negation, withholding, or absence , having rendition of light and shade similar in tone to the tones of the original subject , contributing toward or characterized by increase or progression , directed or moving toward a source of stimulation , real and numerically greater than zero , 5. a. being, relating to, or charged with electricity of which the proton is the elementary unit and which predominates in a glass body after being rubbed with silk, having more protons than electrons , b. having higher electric potential and constituting the part from which the current flows to the external circuit , being an electron-collecting electrode of an electron tube, 6. marked by or indicating acceptance, approval, or affirmation , affirming the presence especially of a condition, substance, or organism suspected to be present , converging light rays and forming a real inverted image, 8. having a good effect ; favorable , marked by optimism , see: sure ~ly adverb ~ness noun II. noun Date: 1530 something ~: as, a. the ~ degree of comparison in a language, a ~ form of an adjective or adverb, something of which an affirmation can be made ; reality , a ~ photograph or a print from a negative, a ~ result (as of a test)