Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Affirmative?

\Af*firm"a*tive\, a. [L. affirmativus: cf. F. affirmatif.] 1. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common law. 2. That affirms; asserting that the fact is so; declaratory of what exists; answering ``yes'' to a question; -- opposed to {negative}; as, an affirmative answer; an affirmative vote. 3. Positive; dogmatic. [Obs.] --J. Taylor. Lysicles was a little by the affirmative air of Crito. --Berkeley. 4. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition. 5. (Alg.) Positive; -- a term applied to quantities which are to be added, and opposed to {negative}, or such as are to be subtracted.
\Af*firm"a*tive\, n. 1. That which affirms as opposed to that which denies; an affirmative proposition; that side of question which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to {negative}; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative. Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed the affirmative. --Dryden. 2. A word or phrase expressing affirmation or assent; as, yes, that is so, etc.