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.
"Our assessment is qualitative and does not involve a numerical estimate of cancer risk or burden. We'll only be able to determine the precise risk once longer-term studies are available."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 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
Not just factual details like that I “live in an urban setting with space constraints,” but also qualitative ones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
And they report this information to executive management and the board in quantitative and qualitative ways, so that leadership can oversee the details and the firm’s overall direction for AI.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026
And when he's done I want to say: "There is a qualitative difference in the visual effect of the room."
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
