qualitative
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of qualitative
First recorded in 1600–10; from Late Latin quālitātīvus, equivalent to quālitāt- (stem of quālitās ) quality + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Anything that's qualitative has to do with the characteristics or features of something, rather than its quantity. If you prefer A Wrinkle in Time to another book with the same number of pages, that's a qualitative preference. Qualitative shows up in scientific writing to clarify that the quality of something is being assessed, not its size or quantity. Scientists often contrast qualitative analysis or data with quantitative facts, information that can actually be measured. Qualitative properties of your house include its coziness and its cheerful color scheme. Among its quantitative aspects are its monetary value and its precise square footage.
Vocabulary lists containing qualitative
The Scientific Method
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Word Generation Science - Scientific Thinking
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The ACT Science Test: The Scientific Method
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The group confirmed its qualitative outlook for the year, while its new backlog record of 6 billion euros supports growth momentum despite limited recovery in industrial demand, the analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
He described Diamond Hill’s “workmanlike mentality to investing,” which includes forecasting companies’ fundamental performance at least five years out, supported by “a qualitative assessment of companies we want to own.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Elsewhere, from a more qualitative perspective, the UBS consumer team published its list of favorite stocks for each of eight industries.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Naratis aims to take qualitative research - the slowest, most expensive form of polling - and rebuild it around AI.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
The great difference between us and the other animals may be the qualitative difference made by speech.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
