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false-positive

[ fawls-poz-i-tiv ]
/ ˈfɔlsˈpɒz ɪ tɪv /

noun Also false positive.

Medicine/Medical.
  1. a test result that is incorrect because the test indicated a condition or finding that does not exist: a false-positive for syphilis.
  2. a person who receives this test result.
  1. any screening test result that incorrectly detected or classified a person or thing: A false-positive at the airport could cause you to miss your flight.
  2. a person or thing identified by such a test.

adjective

pertaining to or being a false-positive: The test has a false-positive rate of 4%.

Words nearby false-positive

false-card, false-hearted, false-memory syndrome, false-negative, false-negative reaction, false-positive, false-positive reaction, false-start, falsehood, falsetto, falsework
Compare false-negative.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020