adjective
positive
Greater than zero.
Three is a positive number.
Etymology
Positive and negative were adopted as contrasting mathematical terms. Positive quantities lie on the side of zero associated with addition or possession rather than deficiency.
More examples
- The calculation produced a positive value.
- Every point shown has a positive coordinate on that axis.
- The balance remained positive throughout the month.
Forms
positive
Similar words
- nonnegative
- Includes zero as well as positive numbers.