n.
Pronunciation: ' ne-g ə -tiv
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century
1 a : marked by denial, prohibition, or refusal <received a negative answer> also : marked by absence, withholding, or removal of something positive <the negative motivation of shame ― Garrett Hardin> b (1) : denying a predicate of a subject or a part of a subject < “ no A is B ” is a negative proposition> (2) : denoting the absence or the contradictory of something < nontoxic is a negative term> (3) : expressing negation < negative particles such as no and not > c : ADVERSE , UNFAVORABLE <the reviews were mostly negative >
2 a : lacking positive qualities especially : DISAGREEABLE b : marked by features of hostility, withdrawal, or pessimism that hinder or oppose constructive treatment or development <a negative outlook> < negative criticism> c : promoting a person or cause by criticizing or attacking the competition <ran a negative campaign> < negative advertising>
3 a (1) : less than zero and opposite in sign to a positive number that when added to the given number yields zero <-2 is a negative number> (2) : having more outgo than income : constituting a loss < negative cash flow> < negative worth> b : extending or generated in a direction opposite to an arbitrarily chosen regular direction or position < negative angle>
4 a : being, relating to, or charged with electricity of which the electron is the elementary unit b : having more electrons than protons <a negative ion> c (1) : having lower electric potential and constituting the part toward which the current flows from the external circuit <the negative pole> (2) : being the electron-emitting electrode of an electron tube
5 a : not affirming the presence of a condition, substance, or organism suspected to be present also : having a test result indicating the absence especially of a condition, substance, or organism <she is HIV negative > b : directed or moving away from a source of stimulation < negative tropism> c : less than the pressure of the atmosphere < negative pressure>
6 : having the light and dark parts in approximately inverse relation to those of the original photographic subject
7 of a lens : diverging light rays and forming a virtual inverted image
– neg · a · tive · ly adverb
– neg · a · tive · ness noun
– neg · a · tiv · i · ty \ ˌ ne-g ə - ' ti-v ə -t ē \ noun