Dictionary

unpositive en · ADJ

Etymology

From un- + positive.

Meanings

1. Not positive; negative.
   • […] no nation is going to dare provoke an atomic war with us unless it is convinced that the first shock will do away with our power, to use a rather unpositive word, to retaliate. 1956, United States. Congress. House, Hearings, volume 6, page 2702:
2. Not positive; unsure.
   • The following three statements will provide an elementary example of what is meant by range: He's 24 years old (positive). He may be about 24 years old (tentative). I'm not sure how old he is (unpositive/uncertain) […] 1977, Jan Ate van Ek, L. G. Alexander, The Threshold Level for Modern Language Learning in Schools (page 159)

Forms