affirmative

English

Etymology

From Old French affirmatif, from Latin affirmativus, from affirmare (“to assert”).

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /əˈfɜːmətɪv/, X-SAMPA: /@"f3:m@tIv/
• (US) IPA: /əˈfɝmətɪv/, X-SAMPA: /@"f3`m@tIv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

affirmative (comparative more affirmative, superlative most affirmative)

1. pertaining to truth; asserting that something is
2. pertaining to any assertion or active confirmation that favors a particular result
3. positive

Derived terms

• affirmative action

Translations

pertaining to truth

• Bulgarian: утвърдителен (bg) (utvǎrditelen)
• French: affirmatif (fr)
• Portuguese: afirmativo (pt), positivo (pt)

• Russian: утвердительный (ru) (utverditelʹnyj)
• Spanish: afirmativo (es)

positive

• Bulgarian: положителен (bg) (položitelen)
• Irish: dearfach (ga)

• Russian: положительный (ru) (položitelʹnyj)
• Spanish: positivo (es)

Noun

affirmative (plural affirmatives)

1. Yes; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.

   That's an affirmative Houston, the space shuttle has lost the secondary thrusters.

   10-4 good buddy. That's an affirmative - the tractor trailer is in the ditch at the side of the highway.

2. (grammatical terminology) An answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
3. (obsolete) An assertion.
   • 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.17:

     that every hare is both male and female, beside the vulgar opinion, was the affirmative of Archelaus, of Plutarch, Philostratus, and many more.

Translations

An answer that shows agreement or acceptance

• Dutch: bevestigende zin m
• French: phrase affirmative f
• German: affirmativer Satz m

• Norwegian: bekreftes (no), tiltredes (no) (archaic)
• Russian: утвердительный
• Spanish: oración afirmativa f

See also

• affirmative sentence

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /a.fiʁ.ma.tiv/

Adjective

affirmative

1. Feminine singular of affirmatif

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Latin

Adjective

affirmātīve

1. vocative masculine singular of affirmātīvus