affirmative

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈfɜːmətɪv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈfɝmətɪv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

affirmative (comparative more affirmative, superlative most affirmative)

1. pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming

   an affirmative answer

2. pertaining to any assertion or active confirmation that favors a particular result
3. positive

   an affirmative vote

4. Confirmative; ratifying.

   an act affirmative of common law

5. dogmatic
   • Berkeley

     Lysicles was a little disconcerted by the affirmative air of Crito.

6. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition.
7. (algebra) positive; not negative

Derived terms

• affirmative action

Translations

pertaining to truth

• Bulgarian: утвърдителен (bg) (utvǎrditelen)
• Finnish: myöntävä (fi)
• French: affirmatif (fr)
• German: affirmativ (de)

• Portuguese: afirmativo (pt), positivo (pt)
• Russian: утверди́тельный (ru) (utverdítelʹnyj)
• Spanish: afirmativo (es)

positive

• Bulgarian: положителен (bg) (položitelen)
• Finnish: puoltava (fi)
• French: affirmatif (fr)
• German: affirmativ (de)

• Irish: dearfach
• Russian: положи́тельный (ru) (položítelʹnyj)
• Spanish: positivo (es)
• Welsh: cadarnhaol (cy)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Manx: ^{(please verify)} shickyragh

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. (grammar) 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

answer that shows agreement or acceptance

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

• Norwegian: bekreftes, tiltredes (archaic)
• Portuguese: afirmativa f
• Russian: утверди́тельный (ru) (utverdítelʹnyj)
• Spanish: oración afirmativa f

Interjection

affirmative

1. An elaborate synonym for the word yes.

See also

• affirmative sentence

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.fiʁ.ma.tiv/

Adjective

affirmative

1. feminine singular of affirmatif

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German

Adjective

affirmative

1. inflected form of affirmativ

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Latin

Adjective

affirmātīve

1. vocative masculine singular of affirmātīvus