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Origin and history of negative

negative(adj.)

c. 1400, negatif, "expressing denial" (a sense now rare or obsolete), from Anglo-French negatif (early 14c.), Old French negatif (13c.) and directly from Latin negativus "that which denies," from negat-, past-participle stem of negare "deny, say no" (see deny).

The meaning "expressing negation" is from c. 1500; that of "characterized by absence of that which is affirmative or positive" is from 1560s. Algebraic sense, denoting quantities which are a subtraction from zero, is from 1670s. The electricity sense is from 1755.

Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. [John Keats, letter, Dec. 21, 1817]

Related: Negatively.

negative(n.)

late 14c., "a prohibition" (a sense now obsolete), also "absence, nonexistence; opposite," from Old French negatif and directly from Latin negativus (see negative (adj.)).

Meaning "a negative statement" is from 1560s. Sense of "that side of a question which denies what the opposite side affirms" is from 1570s. Meaning "the right or power of refusing assent" is from 1610s. Meaning "a negative quality" is from 1640s. In mathematics, "a negative number," from 1706. Photographic sense of "image in which the lights and shades are the opposite of those in nature" is recorded by 1853. As a response, "I refuse, disagree, no," from 1945, originally in radio communication. 

negative(v.)

"reject, refuse to accept," 1706, from negative (adj.).

also from 1706

Entries linking to negative

deny(v.)

early 14c., "declare to be untrue or untenable," from Old French denoiir "deny, repudiate, withhold," from Latin denegare "to deny, reject, refuse" (source of Italian dinegarre, Spanish denegar), from de "away" (see de-) + negare "refuse, say 'no,' " from Old Latin nec "not," from Italic base *nek- "not," from PIE root *ne- "not."

From late 14c. as "refuse, refuse to grant or give," also "refuse to acknowledge, disavow, disown." Sense of "refuse access to" is from 1660s. Related: Denied; denying.

I may not understand what you say, but I'll defend to your death my right to deny it. [Albert Alligator, "Pogo," Sept. 26, 1951] 
negativism(n.)

1824, "the policy of opposition;" see negative (adj.) + -ism. Or, specifically, "the views of a negationist" (one who simply denies beliefs commonly held without asserting an opposite view). Related: Negativistic.

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affirmative
"answering 'yes,' " mid-15c., from use in logic; from Old French affirmatif, earlier afirmatif (13c.), from Latin affirmativus, from affirmat-, past-participle stem of affirmare "to make steady; strengthen; confirm," from ad "to" (see ad-) + firmare "strengthen, make firm," from
positive
early 14c., originally a legal term meaning "formally laid down, decreed or legislated by authority" (opposed to natural),  from Old French positif (13c.) and directly from Latin positivus "settled by agreement, positive" (opposed to naturalis "natural"), from positus, past
privative
quality, characterized by taking away or removal of something," from Latin privativus "denoting privation," in grammar, "negative...In grammar, from 1580s as "expressing negation, changing the sense of a word from positive to negative" (as do the prefixes...
meritocracy
For him, meritocracy was a negative term; his spoof was a warning about the negative consequences of assigning social status...
care
such as "have an inclination" (1550s); "have fondness for" (1520s) seem to have developed later as mirrors to the earlier negative...To not care as a negative dismissal is attested from mid-13c....Phrase couldn't care less is from 1946; could care less in the same sense (with an understood negative) is from 1955....
need
Meaning "to be under obligation (to do something)," especially in negative or interrogative sentences implying obligation...Need, especially in negative and interrogative sentences implying obligation or necessity, is often used, in the present,...
Delian
1620s, "of Delos," the tiny island in the Aegean that was the reputed birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Delian problem "find the length of the side of a cube having double the volume of a given cube," was set by the oracle at Delos when it answered (430 B.C.E.) that the plague in
denial
1520s, "refusal to grant what is requested or desired;" see deny + -al (2). Replaced earlier denyance (late 15c.). Sense of "act of asserting to the contrary, contradicting" is from 1570s; that of "refusal to accept or acknowledge" is from 1580s. In some 19c. uses, it really mean
Aldine
typeface, 1837, from Aldus Manutius (1450-1515), Venetian printer who used it in his popular editions of Greek and Roman classics. His name is a Latinized form of Italian Aldo Manuzio; the first name is short for Teobaldo (see Theobald), and, like many Italian masc. given names,

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