# positive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/ · frequency rank #1,109

## Definitions
1. Included, present, characterized by affirmation.
2. Formally laid down.
3. Stated definitively and without qualification.
4. Fully assured in opinion.
5. Greater than zero.
6. Greater than or equal to zero.
7. Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.
8. Overconfident, dogmatic.
9. Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.
10. Having more protons than electrons.
11. Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.
12. Describing a verb that is not negated, especially in languages which have distinct positive and negative verb forms, e.g., Finnish.
13. Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations.
14. Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.
15. Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.
16. Confirmed, straight-up.
17. Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.
18. Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.
19. Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.
20. Optimistic.
21. electropositive
22. basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.
23. HIV positive.
24. Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable.

## Etymology
From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.

## Easily confused with
- **punitive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/positive-vs-punitive)
- **positively** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/positive-vs-positively)
- **position** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/position-vs-positive)

## Common misspellings (11)
`opsitive`, `poistive`, `posiitve`, `positiev`, `positivve`, `posittive`, `positvie`, `possitive`, `postiive`, `ppositive`, `psoitive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/positive