positive

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂pó
4. Proto-Italic*po
5. Proto-Indo-European*teḱ-
6. Proto-Indo-European*tḱéytibf.
7. Proto-Indo-European*tḱey-
8. Proto-Indo-European*tḱinéti
9. Proto-Italic*sinō
10. Proto-Italic*pozinō
11. Latinpōnō
12. Latinīvus
13. Latinpositivus
14. Old Frenchpositif
15. English todaypositive

From Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from the past participle stem of ponere (“to place”). Compare posit.

First known use, by meaning

• from the 14th c. Formally laid down.
• from the 16th c. Stated definitively and without qualification.
• from the 17th c. Fully assured in opinion.
• from the 18th c. Greater than zero.
• from the 20th c. Optimistic.