negative

The story

1. Latin · derived fromnegātīvus“that denies, negative”
2. Old French · derived fromnegatif
3. Middle English · inherited fromnegative
4. English todaynegative

From Middle English negative, negatif, from Old French negatif, from Latin negātīvus (“that denies, negative”), from negāre (“to deny”); see negate.

First known use, by meaning

• from the 18th c. Of electrical charge of an electron and related particles
• from 15th c. Refusal or withholding of assents; prohibition, veto
• from 19th c. An image in which dark areas represent light ones, and the converse.