affirmative

[ uh-fur-muh-tiv ]

/ əˈfɜr mə tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR affirmative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

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.”

noun

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.

interjection

(used to indicate agreement, assent, etc.): “Is this the right way to Lake George?” “Affirmative.”

Nearby words

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, adverbo·ver·af·firm·a·tive, adjectiveo·ver·af·firm·a·tive·ly, adverbpre·af·firm·a·tive, adjective

qua·si-af·firm·a·tive, adjectivequa·si-af·firm·a·tive·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for affirmative

His was one of six votes against the day, which received 90 votes in the affirmative.
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game|Michael Tomasky|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In another unusual move, the grand jury considered not only the basic elements of the crime, but also affirmative defenses.
We Need More Ferguson-style Grand Juries|Kaimipono Wenger|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A sizable number of Asian Americans feel that affirmative action, in college admissions or elsewhere, has hurt them personally.
Why Harvard's Asians Are Invisible|Tim Mak|November 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Politically, witness the increasing popularity of affirmative action based on class rather than race.
How Barack and Michelle Have Normalized Black Prominence|John McWhorter|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The piece—an intended satire of affirmative action—was not received quite as warmly as the “I speak Jive” scene from Airplane!
Ex-Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner Relives College Glory Days|Olivia Nuzzi|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Negotiations were continued between the two councils until an affirmative or a negative conclusion was reached.
Ancient Society|Lewis Henry Morgan
It is better to make a direct statement in the affirmative if possible, than to involve it in negatives.
The Lure of the Pen|Flora Klickmann
Wherever Henry or his allies could bribe or bully the learned doctors, an answer was usually given in the affirmative.
A Student's History of England, v. 2 (of 3)|Samuel R. Gardiner.
"It was my bad management, it always is," said Rachel, ever affirmative.
The Clever Woman of the Family|Charlotte M. Yonge
They use a direct and positive negative, but express the affirmative by a nod of the head or an inclination of the body.
A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson|Watkin Tench

British Dictionary definitions for affirmative

affirmative

/ (əˈfɜːmətɪv) /

adjective

confirming or asserting something as true or validan affirmative statement

indicating agreement or assentan 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 negationCompare negative (def. 12)

noun

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

sentence substitute

military a signal codeword used to express assent or confirmation

Derived Formsaffirmatively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for affirmative

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.

affirmative

adjective

noun

interjection

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Nearby words

Origin of affirmative

Examples from the Web for affirmative

affirmative

adjective

noun

sentence substitute

affirmative