affirmative [uh -fur -muh -tiv]
Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for affirmative on Thesaurus.com affirming or assenting; asserting the truth, validity, or fact of something.expressing agreement or consent; assenting: an affirmative reply. positive; not negative. Logic noting a proposition in which a property of a subject is affirmed , as “All men are happy.” Show More
something that affirms or asserts; a positive statement or proposition; affirmation . a reply indicating assent, as Yes or I do. a manner or mode that indicates assent: a reply in the affirmative. the side, as in a debate, that affirms or defends a statement that the opposite side denies or attacks: to speak for the affirmative. Show More
(used to indicate agreement, assent, etc.): “Is this the right way to Lake George?” “Affirmative.” Show More
Origin of affirmative 1400–50; <
Latin affirmātīvus, equivalent to
affirmāt- (see
affirmation ) +
-īvus -ive ; replacing
late Middle English affirmatyff <
Middle French <
Latin Related forms af·firm·a·tive·ly , adverb o·ver·af·firm·a·tive , adjective o·ver·af·firm·a·tive·ly , adverb pre·af·firm·a·tive , adjective qua·si-af·firm·a·tive , adjective qua·si-af·firm·a·tive·ly , adverb Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for affirmative supporting ,
positive ,
affirmatory ,
corroborative ,
favorable ,
acquiescent ,
affirming ,
concurring ,
confirmative ,
confirmatory ,
consenting ,
endorsing Examples from the Web for affirmative Contemporary Examples of affirmative His was one of six votes against the day, which received 90 votes in the affirmative .
In another unusual move, the grand jury considered not only the basic elements of the crime, but also affirmative defenses.
A sizable number of Asian Americans feel that affirmative action, in college admissions or elsewhere, has hurt them personally.
And Derbyshire “always assume[s] that any black person in a well-paid position is an Affirmative Action hire.”
Politically, witness the increasing popularity of affirmative action based on class rather than race.
Historical Examples of affirmative Again, the girl made her formal response in the affirmative , then left the room.
I cannot reply definitely in the affirmative to the question.
He nodded, as she seemed to expect an answer in the affirmative .
Though this history has its opinion on that point too, and decidedly in the affirmative .
Being then asked if he had any inclination to eat, he answered in the affirmative .
British Dictionary definitions for affirmative confirming or asserting something as true or valid an affirmative statement indicating agreement or assent an affirmative answer logic (of a categorial proposition) affirming the satisfaction by the subject of the predicate, as in all birds have feathers; some men are married not containing negation Compare negative (def. 12) Show More
a positive assertion a word or phrase stating agreement or assent, such as yes (esp in the phrase answer in the affirmative ) logic an affirmative proposition the affirmative mainly US and Canadian the side in a debate that supports the proposition Show More
military a signal codeword used to express assent or confirmation Show More
Derived Forms affirmatively , adverb Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for affirmative adj. "answering 'yes,'" mid-15c., from use in logic; from Middle French affirmatif (13c.), from Latin affirmativus , from affirmat- , past participle stem of affirmare (see affirm ). As a noun from early 15c. Affirmative action "positive or corrective effort by employers to prevent discrimination in hiring or promotion" is attested from 1935 with regard to labor unions; specific racial sense is from 1961; now often used more generally in reference to hiring quotas, etc.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
