affirmative
45
4.4
- noun
- /əˈfɜːrmətɪv/
- Formal
- Let the record show that the witness answered in the affirmative.
- answered in the affirmative
- responded in the affirmative
- question in the affirmative
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Watch on YouTubeBut all of that stops at the glass floor that is the president's right finger or, or, or him saying yes or, or in the, in the affirmative type thing.
- But all of that stops at the glass floor that is the president's right finger or, or, or him saying yes or, or in the, in the affirmative type thing.
Examples
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The response to this question posed earlier appears to be in the affirmative.
Academic text (1999) -
The teacher asked if all students understood, and the class replied in the affirmative.
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-Did you give an affirmative on this?
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That would be the affirmative.
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I would respond with an affirmative to all the above questions.
Academic text (2000) -
Do you remember answering in the affirmative?
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When someone asks you to do something, you respond in the affirmative.
Fiction book (2002) -
A majority of senators have voted in the affirmative.
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The governments of these candidate countries immediately responded in the affirmative, and they formally joined the alliance in 1999.
Academic text (1999) -
In response to the first question, the Completers responded unanimously (11/11) in the affirmative.
Academic text (2015)
Synonyms
∞
5.6
A casual way to say yes to show agreement
∞
1.0
An answer that shows agreement or permission
353
7.3
To say yes when people vote
25
9.7
A casual way to say yes or agree
13
8.8
A vote in favor in a meeting or parliament
11
6.8
A formal agreement that allows a plan or law to go ahead
4
8.9
A short informal way to say yes to someone in charge showing respect
1
9.4
To show strong agreement with an idea, often said by a group
Antonyms
Compounds
176
4.7
A plan to help groups treated unfairly get more chances in education or work
- Formal
1
9.9
A defendant's statement giving new facts to defeat the plaintiff's claim
How Positive
- Formal
45
4.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
affirmative = affirmative (semi-transparent) = affirm + ative
The noun is a nominalized use of the adjective 'affirmative'; the connection to agreement is clear, but the exact sense of a formal 'yes' reply is somewhat specialized.
Etymology
As a noun, affirmative names a 'yes' or clear agreement and comes from the same idea as affirm and firm, meaning 'to make firm'. So an affirmative is a firm, definite reply of agreement.