positive definite
Save This Word!
adjective Mathematics.
(of a quadratic form) positive for all real values of the variables, where the values are not all zero.
(of a matrix) displaying the coefficients of a positive definite quadratic form.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
Origin of positive definite
First recorded in 1905–10
OTHER WORDS FROM positive definite
positive definiteness, nounWords nearby positive definite
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021