négatif

\ne.ɡa.tif\

/\ne.ɡa.tif\/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“négatif” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #4,357 in French word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,357
frequency rank, French
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Qui exprime une négation.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

négatif vs négative
75% similar
négatif vs négatifs
88% similar
négatif vs négation
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for négatif
PropertyValue
Headwordnégatif
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\ne.ɡa.tif\
Letters7
Frequency rank#4,357
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “négatif” sits in French frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). négatif lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for négatif is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ne.ɡa.tif\. Corpus data places it at rank #4,357 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for négatif, with forms such as "negatif", "ngéatif", and "nnégatif". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "négative", "négatifs", "négation", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is négatif, spelled N-É-G-A-T-I-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Qui exprime une négation.
  2. 2
    D’une négation logique. Pas affirmatif.
  3. 3
    Plus petit que zéro ; parfois : plus petit que ou égal à zéro.
  4. 4
    S’emploie aussi en ce sens dans le langage ordinaire.
  5. 5
    Électricité négative ou résineuse : Celle que l’on développe en frottant un morceau d’ébonite avec du drap, avec de la laine, par opposition à l’électricité positive qui est dégagée sur le verre poli par frottement du drap. De nos jours, nommée électricité statique.
  6. 6
    Pôle négatif : Le pôle d’une pile électrique opposé au pôle positif.
  7. 7
    Épreuve négative : Épreuve photographique où les blancs sont venus en noir et inversement.
  8. 8
    Qualifie une température ambiante, voire une température résultante, inférieure à zéro degré Celsius (0°C).

Antonyms

positifaffirmatif

This word in other languages

negative(English)negativ(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: negatif,ngéatif,nnégatif,néagtif,négaitf,négatfi,négatiff,négattif,néggatif,négtaif,éngatif

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of négatif - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

negatif1ngéatif2nnégatif1néagtif2négaitf2négatfi2négatiff1négattif1
Edit distance from "négatif"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "négatif"?
"négatif" is spelled N-É-G-A-T-I-F. The IPA pronunciation is \ne.ɡa.tif\.
What does "négatif" mean?
As an adjective, "négatif" means: Qui exprime une négation.
What words are commonly confused with "négatif"?
"négatif" is commonly confused with "négative", "négatifs", "négation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "négatif"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "négatif" is \ne.ɡa.tif\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "négatif" come from?
"négatif" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “négatif”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is N-É-G-A-T-I-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ne.ɡa.tif\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “négative” - see the side-by-side comparison. négatif vs négative
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list