positively

/ˈpɒzətɪvli/PAH-zuh-tiv-lee

/ˈpɑzətɪvli/PAH-zuh-tiv-lee

Meaningin a definite way

Common meaning: in a hopeful way

Other meanings: certainly

positivesettledSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 458 · scan
lyadverb ending: in a way

Journey through time

Latinpositiuus‘settled, esp’source
Frenchpositifsource
Middle Englishpositifsource
Englishpositive‘definite’
Englishformed in English from positivepositively‘in a hopeful way’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from positive + -ly.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), POSITIVE, p.458 · scan

Source words

positiuus Latin · source word “settled”

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