affirmative

English

Etymology

From Middle English affirmative, affirmatyve, from Old French affirmatif, from Latin affirmativus, from affirmare (“to assert”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈfɜːmətɪv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈfɝməɾɪv/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

affirmative (comparative more affirmative, superlative most affirmative)

1. pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming

   an affirmative answer

2. pertaining to any assertion or active confirmation that favors a particular result
3. positive

   an affirmative vote

4. Confirmative; ratifying.

   an act affirmative of common law

5. Dogmatic.
   • 1732, George Berkeley, “The Second Dialogue”, in Alciphron: Or, The Minute Philosopher. […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], →OCLC, section IX, page 92:

     Lyſicles vvas a little diſconcerted by the affirmative air of Crito; but after a ſhort pauſe replied briskly, […]

6. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition.
7. (algebra) positive; not negative

Derived terms

• affirmative action
• affirmative defense
• affirmatively
• affirmativeness
• affirmative pregnant
• affirmative resolution
• affirmative waste
• affirmativism
• affirmativist
• apefirmative action
• disaffirmative
• nonaffirmative
• trans-affirmative

 

Translations

pertaining to truth

Bulgarian: утвърдителен (bg) (utvǎrditelen) Catalan: afirmatiu Finnish: myöntävä (fi) French: affirmatif (fr) German: affirmativ (de) Greek: Ancient: κατωμοτικός (katōmotikós) Portuguese: afirmativo (pt), positivo (pt) Russian: утверди́тельный (ru) (utverdítelʹnyj) Spanish: afirmativo (es)

positive

Bulgarian: положителен (bg) (položitelen) Finnish: puoltava (fi) French: affirmatif (fr) German: affirmativ (de) Greek: Ancient: θετικός (thetikós) Irish: dearfach Polish: afirmacyjny (pl), afirmatywny (pl) Russian: положи́тельный (ru) (položítelʹnyj) Spanish: positivo (es) Welsh: cadarnhaol (cy)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Irish: (please verify) deimhneach Manx: (please verify) shickyragh

Noun

affirmative (plural affirmatives)

1. Yes; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.

   Antonym: negative

   That’s an affirmative Houston, the space shuttle has lost the secondary thrusters.

   10-4 good buddy. That’s an affirmative—the tractor trailer is in the ditch at the side of the highway.

2. (grammar) An answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
3. (obsolete) An assertion.
   • 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.17:

     that every hare is both male and female, beside the vulgar opinion, was the affirmative of Archelaus, of Plutarch, Philostratus, and many more.

Translations

answer that shows agreement or acceptance

Catalan: afirmativa f Dutch: bevestigende zin m Finnish: myöntölause French: (please verify) phrase affirmative f German: (please verify) affirmativer Satz m Norwegian: bekreftes, tiltredes (archaic) Portuguese: afirmativa f Russian: утверди́тельный (ru) (utverdítelʹnyj) Spanish: afirmativa (es) f

Interjection

affirmative

1. Yes.
2. (military, especially radio communications) Yes; true; correct.

Translations

(military) yes; true; correct

Russian: так то́чно (ru) (tak tóčno)

See also

• affirmative sentence

References

• “affirmative”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.fiʁ.ma.tiv/

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

Adjective

affirmative

1. feminine singular of affirmatif

German

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

affirmative

1. inflection of affirmativ:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Latin

Adjective

affirmātīve

1. vocative masculine singular of affirmātīvus