[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/affirmative/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / affirmative

# affirmative

adjective (affirmative); noun (the affirmative)

«affirmative» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Affirmative means saying "yes" or agreeing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#m1)
2. In grammar, an affirmative sentence is a positive statement, not a negative one ("I like cats" not "I don't like cats"). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#m2)
3. "Affirmative!" (informal) is a way of saying yes, as in films with soldiers or pilots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#m3)
4. Affirmative action (USA) means policies to help groups who have been treated unfairly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#m4)

### In the lessons

In English grammar lessons it contrasts with negative sentences. In debates, the affirmative side argues for the motion. Phrases: in the affirmative, affirmative sentence, affirmative answer.

### Examples

- "I can swim" is an affirmative sentence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x1)
- She answered in the affirmative: yes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x2)
- "Affirmative, captain!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x3)
- The affirmative team spoke first in the debate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x4)
- Change the negative sentence into the affirmative. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x5)
- He nodded, an affirmative sign. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x6)
- She fancied she heard answers in the affirmative, and then again she wasn’t sure. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/#x7)

### Note

Opposite: negative. Formal; everyday word: yes, positive. Verb: affirm.

## In Jewish tradition

Here it means the "yes" side of a pair of opposites, set against the negative.

**Interpretation.** In Sefer Yetzirah the three Mother letters are read as a balance: one side affirms, one denies, and the third reconciles them.

### Examples

- There are three of which every one of them stands by itself; one is in the affirmative, the other in the negative and one equalizes them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/affirmative/#x1)

### Note

Opposite: negative. Formal; everyday word: yes, positive. Verb: affirm.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «affirmative» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirmative/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«affirmative» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/affirmative.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «affirmative» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/affirmative/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«affirmative» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/affirmative.html) on Mova free.