negation

[ni-gey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of denying.

   He shook his head in negation of the charge.

2. a denial.

   a negation of one's former beliefs.

3. something that is without existence; nonentity.

4. the absence or opposite of something that is actual, positive, or affirmative.

   Darkness is the negation of light.

5. a negative statement, idea, concept, doctrine, etc.; a contradiction, refutation, or rebuttal.

   a shameless lie that demands a negation.

negation

/ nɪˈɡeɪʃən /

noun

1. the opposite or absence of something

2. a negative thing or condition

3. the act or an instance of negating

4. logic

   1. the operator that forms one sentence from another and corresponds to the English not

   2. a sentence so formed. It is usually written –p, ~p, ̄p or ⇁ p , where p is the given sentence, and is false when the given sentence is true, and true when it is false

Other Word Forms

• negational adjective
• negationist noun
• nonnegation noun
• renegation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of negation¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin negātiōn-, stem of negātiō “denial”; equivalent to negate + -ion

Example Sentences

This platform of negation took root quickly, radically changing what the GOP saw as its purpose.

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Singh formally apologised to the nation in 2005 in parliament, saying the violence were "the negation of the concept of nationhood enshrined in our constitution".

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In an array of communications, ranging from advertising to legal filings, negation is often used intentionally to mask a clear understanding of a phrase.

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“I’m intransigent on laïcité, because it helps with national cohesion, national community. It’s not a negation of religion,” Le Drezen said.

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And my idea of degrowth is not a negation of technology.

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Related Words

• antithesis 
• renunciation 
• repudiation