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nonpositive

nonpositive

6.5
Not greater than zero, including negative numbers
  • adjective
  • /nɒnˈpɒzɪtɪv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no positivo
  • For the calculations to be accurate, all nonpositive values must be excluded from the final analysis.
  • nonpositive definite
  • nonpositive definite matrix

Examples

  • Results revealed that the Two-Factor Model 3 was inadmissible because the relations between the two factors were greater than unity, as revealed through a nonpositive definite covariance matrix.

    Academic text (2006)
  • At a time when American law was predominantly nonpositive, statutes were necessary only when legislators meant to supersede the common law, and judges were supposed to read such statutes with their specific purposes in mind.

    Academic text (2017)
  • In this next set of models, 13 of the 46 outcomes again had nonpositive-definite matrices, and the linear slope parameter (i.e., growth rate at 24 months) was then estimated as a fixed parameter.

    Academic text (2013)
  • However, the models for 28 of the 46 outcomes (61%) could not be estimated because of nonpositive-definite matrices, and 14 of the remaining 18 outcomes had nonsignificant random effects (p > .01) for the quadratic term.

    Academic text (2013)
  • The results were troubling, as many of the values were nonpositive, indicating potential issues in the experiment.

  • In mathematics, a nonpositive number is one that is either zero or negative.

Synonyms

unpositive
vsnonpositive
  • Specialized
7.9

A number that is zero or less than zero

is used broadly outside mathematical contexts rather than only in math

Antonyms

37 1.0

A number that is greater than zero

How Positive

positive
37 1.0
nonnegative
  • Specialized
5.1
zero
  • Specialized
26 1.0
nonpositive
  • Specialized
6.5
negative
  • Specialized
213 3.2

Surface Forms

nonpositive positive

Morphology

nonpositive = positive (transparent) = non + positive

Formed by the productive negating prefix 'non-' plus the adjective 'positive', so the meaning 'not positive (≤0)' is directly predictable.

Etymology

Nonpositive comes from the prefix non- meaning 'not' and positive meaning 'greater than zero' or like the 'plus' sign, so it literally means 'not positive' and in math it describes zero or a negative value.