WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
pos•i•tiv•ism
(poz′i tə viz′əm),USA pronunciation n.
pos′i•tiv•ist, adj., n.
pos′i•tiv•is′tic, adj.
pos′i•tiv•is′ti•cal•ly, adv.
- the state or quality of being positive;
definiteness;
assurance. - Philosophy, Sociologya philosophical system founded by Auguste Comte, concerned with positive facts and phenomena, and excluding speculation upon ultimate causes or origins.
- positive + -ism 1850–55
pos′i•tiv•is′tic, adj.
pos′i•tiv•is′ti•cal•ly, adv.
'positivist' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):