Main Entry: ¹neg·a·tive

Pronunciation: \ˈne-gə-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 \ˌne-gə-ˈti-və-tē\ noun