qualitative

[ kwol-i-tey-tiv ]

/ ˈkwɒl ɪˌteɪ tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR qualitative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pertaining to or concerned with quality or qualities.

Nearby words

Origin of qualitative

1600–10; < Late Latin quālitātīvus, equivalent to quālitāt- (stem of quālitās) quality + -īvus -ive

Related formsqual·i·ta·tive·ly, adverbnon·qual·i·ta·tive, adjectivenon·qual·i·ta·tive·ly, adverb

Can be confusedqualitative quantitative

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

Examples from the Web for qualitative

For us, there was a big kind of qualitative leap on this record.
Chromeo’s Dave 1 on ‘White Women’ and Bringing Back the Funk|Melissa Leon|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The approach she takes in her book is what is known in psychological research as a “qualitative” study.
Generation Rx? Review of ‘Dosed: The Medication Generation Grows Up’|Casey Schwartz|April 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The Pentagon and CIA work constantly with their Israeli counterparts to ensure Israel's qualitative edge.
The Israeli Anti-Attack-Iran Brigade|Bruce Riedel|November 7, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Preserving that qualitative edge enjoys broad bipartisan support in the United States.
Iran Blusters but Israel Has the Edge|Bruce Riedel|September 28, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The bizarre exteriors of German art have given great impetus to this qualitative adjective.
Modern Painting, Its Tendency and Meaning|Willard Huntington Wright
Croce says that genius has a quantitative and not a qualitative signification, but he offers no demonstration.
Art Principles|Ernest Govett
It has introduced into the literary profession a demagogic habit, and has set up a quantitative instead of a qualitative standard.
Personality in Literature|Rolfe Arnold Scott-James
They are all disturbances of metabolism through some irregularity in the quantitative or qualitative condition of the blood.
Valere Aude|Louis Dechmann
Whether the movement be qualitative or evolutionary or extensive, the mind manages to take stable views of the instability.
Creative Evolution|Henri Bergson

British Dictionary definitions for qualitative

qualitative

/ (ˈkwɒlɪtətɪv, -ˌteɪ-) /

adjective

involving or relating to distinctions based on quality or qualitiesCompare quantitative

Derived Formsqualitatively, 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 qualitative

qualitative

adj.

early 15c., "that produces a (physical) quality," from Medieval Latin qualitativus "relating to quality," from stem of Latin qualitas "a quality, property, nature" (see quality). Meaning "concerned with quality" is from c.1600 in English, from French qualitatif or Medieval Latin qualitativus. Related: Qualitatively.

qualitative

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of qualitative

Examples from the Web for qualitative

qualitative

adjective

qualitative