qualitative

American  

[kwol-i-tey-tiv] / ˈkwɒl ɪˌteɪ tɪv /

adjective

1. pertaining to or concerned with quality or qualities.

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qualitative British  

/ ˈkwɒlɪtətɪv, -ˌteɪ- /

adjective

1. involving or relating to distinctions based on quality or qualities Compare quantitative

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Other Word Forms

• nonqualitative adjective
• qualitatively adverb

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.

Example Sentences

"This qualitative technique, invented and implemented at ISTA, is much like angiography in living tissues -- except that we are examining the micro-structure of a crystal," says Alpichshev.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

The result is a statistical rise in participation that masks a qualitative divide: opportunity at the top, compulsion at the bottom.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Nawaz, who maintains her own “smile file,” says qualitative information is particularly important to track.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

The MariTide update was qualitative, not quantitative, wrote Guggenheim analyst Vamil Divan in a Wednesday note.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

The dance of qualitative research design: Metaphor, methodology, and meaning.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin