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): /əˈfɝmətɪv/

• 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