negativity


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

neg·a·tive

 (nĕg′ə-tĭv)
adj.
1.
a. Expressing, containing, or consisting of a negation, refusal, or denial: gave a negative answer to our request.
b. Indicating opposition or resistance: a negative reaction to the new advertising campaign.
2. Lacking positive or constructive features, especially:
a. Unpleasant; disagreeable: had a negative experience on his first job.
b. Gloomy; pessimistic: a negative outlook.
c. Unfavorable or detrimental: a negative review; a negative effect on the child's development.
d. Hostile or disparaging; malicious: ran a negative campaign against her opponent.
3. Medicine Not indicating the presence of a particular disease, condition, or organism.
4. Philosophy Of or relating to non-being or the absence of qualities rather than being or the possession of qualities: the purely negative virtue of unselfishness.
5. Logic Designating a proposition that denies agreement between a subject and its predicate.
6. Mathematics
a. Of or relating to a quantity less than zero.
b. Of or relating to the sign (-).
c. Of or relating to a quantity to be subtracted from another.
d. Of or relating to a quantity, number, angle, velocity, or direction in a sense opposite to another of the same magnitude indicated or understood to be positive.
7. Physics
a. Of or relating to an electric charge of the same sign as that of an electron, indicated by the symbol (-).
b. Of or relating to a body that has more electrons than protons.
8. Chemistry Of or relating to an ion, the anion, that is attracted to a positive electrode.
9. Biology Moving or turning away from a stimulus, such as light: a negative tropism.
n.
1. A statement or act indicating or expressing a contradiction, denial, or refusal.
2.
a. A statement or act that is highly critical of another or of others: campaign advertising that was based solely on negatives.
b. Something that lacks all positive, affirmative, or encouraging features; an element that is the counterpoint of the positive: "Life is full of overwhelming odds. You can't really eliminate the negatives but you can diminish them" (Art Linkletter).
c. A feature or characteristic that is not deemed positive, affirmative, or desirable: "As voters get to know his liberal views, his negatives will rise" (Richard M. Nixon).
3. Grammar A word or part of a word, such as no, not, or non-, that indicates negation. See Usage Note at double negative.
4. The side in a debate that contradicts or opposes the question being debated.
5.
a. An image in which the light areas of the object rendered appear dark and the dark areas appear light.
b. A film, plate, or other photographic material containing such an image.
6. Mathematics A negative quantity.
tr.v. neg·a·tived, neg·a·tiv·ing, neg·a·tives
1. To refuse to approve; veto.
2. To deny; contradict.
3. To demonstrate to be false; disprove.
4. To counteract or neutralize.

[Middle English, from Old French negatif, from Latin negātīvus, from negātus, past participle of negāre, to deny; see negate.]

neg′a·tive·ly adv.
neg′a·tive·ness, neg′a·tiv′i·ty (-tĭv′ĭ-tē) n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

neg•a•tiv•i•ty

(ˌnɛg əˈtɪv ɪ ti)

n.
1. the quality or state of being negative.
[1860–65]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.negativity - the character of the negative electric pole
polarity, sign - having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges); "he got the polarity of the battery reversed"; "charges of opposite sign"
positiveness, positivity - the character of the positive electric pole
2.negativity - characterized by habitual skepticism and a disagreeable tendency to deny or oppose or resist suggestions or commands
quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare
positiveness, positivism, positivity - a quality or state characterized by certainty or acceptance or affirmation and dogmatic assertiveness
3.negativity - an amount less than zero
amount - the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion; "an adequate amount of food for four people"
positiveness, positivity - an amount greater than zero
4.negativity - (chemistry) the tendency of an atom or radical to attract electrons in the formation of an ionic bond
tendency, inclination - a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect; "the alkaline inclination of the local waters"; "fabric with a tendency to shrink"
chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

negativity

noun pessimism, cynicism, unwillingness, antagonism, contrariness, uncooperativeness, gloom I hate negativity - I can't stand people who moan all the time.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations

negativity

[ˌnegəˈtɪvɪtɪ] N (Psych) → negatividad f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

negativity

[ˌnɛgəˈtɪvɪti] nnégativité f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

negativity

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in periodicals archive ?
Sadly even some sections of the police have become part of the negativity by saying the new law will be hard to enforce.
To overcome that negativity, many people turn to unhealthy or compulsive behavior.
SUNSHINE is breaking through I know what to do To break free from addictions And negativity I want to fly free And be who I am And strong and bold I am who I am You love me And I love you I belong in your arms I like your truth You teach me better ways To survive and live It's not easy in cold temperatures But the sunshine is coming through I can see the signs and colours The chains of addictions and Negativity are off You are flying free And walking and we live in love Sunshine is breaking through I can see it I can feel it The future is bright Help the children Help different generations Live in health and prosperity Believe in love it will get you through Sunshine is breaking through.
Recently, one Boomer woman decided she had had enough negativity in her life and challenged herself to change that - in 90 days.
Jamie Carragher says Newcastle United is the only club in the Premier League to be engulfed by negativity at such an early stage.
Based on more than 27,000 tweets, First Bus Halifax, Calder Valley and Huddersfield has a 64% negativity rating with only 36% positive.
Not only does it encourage the ones dejected to give a swift kick to all kinds of negativity in their lives, but also makes us ponder over our behavior with those who are sad, sending us in a state of self-realization.
The notification was issued to the Congress parliamentarians a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Opposition for not holding discussions on key issues such as 'One Nation, One Election' concept and practising negativity in opposing every new idea.
He also shared his views on the negativity the cricket team had faced before its win against the Kiwis on Sunday and noted that sometimes negativity makes people angry.
"Sometimes, with so much negativity around, one may think to swallow poison," Mahmood said, laughing, as he concluded the press conference.
You may be termed naive, emotional, unexposed or conservative but ignore the negativity.