Where does “positive” come from?

Positive comes from Old French positif, derived from Latin positivus, formed with the Latin suffix -ivus from Proto-Indo-European -iHwós, ultimately descended from Proto-Indo-European -wós.

positive (English): Not negative or neutral; Formally laid down;...

Definitions

  1. Not negative or neutral; Formally laid down;...

Ancestry of “positive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchpositif—
2Latinposītivuspositive
3Latinpōnōto place; to put; to lay
4Proto-Italicpoznō—
5Proto-Italicpozinō—
6Proto-Italicsinō—

Words derived from “positive”

Every word from Proto-Italic sinō →Every word from Proto-Italic pozinō →Every word from Proto-Italic poznō →