affirmative
pronunciation
How to pronounce affirmative in British English:
UK [əˈfɜ:mətɪv]
How to pronounce affirmative in American English:
US [əˈfɜrmətɪv]
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- Noun:
- a reply of affirmation
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- Adjective:
- affirming or giving assent
- expecting the best
- supporting a policy or attitude etc
Word Origin
- affirmative (adj.)
- "answering 'yes,'" mid-15c., from use in logic; from Middle French affirmatif (13c.), from Latin affirmativus, from affirmat-, past participle stem of affirmare (see affirm). As a noun from early 15c. Affirmative action "positive or corrective effort by employers to prevent discrimination in hiring or promotion" is attested from 1935 with regard to labor unions; specific racial sense is from 1961; now often used in reference to hiring quotas, etc.
Antonym
Example
- 1. The students performed better after being primed with an affirmative message .
- 2. Khor answered in the affirmative .
- 3. He told his audience at the recent talk that he was pleased to be able to answer in the affirmative .
- 4. He trimmed affirmative action , effectively ended racial quotas at the city university of new york and championed school choice .
- 5. At first glance , baumol 's " external economy " grounds for an affirmative answer seem plausible .