Negatiivne

Negatiivne is the Estonian adjective meaning negative. It denotes the opposite of positive, something unfavourable or pessimistic, and is used across various domains to describe values, attitudes, results, or signs. In everyday language it appears in phrases such as negatiivne hinnang (negative assessment) or negatiivne suhtumine (negative attitude). In mathematics and science, negatiivne refers to quantities less than zero; the related noun form negatiivsed arvud describes negative numbers, while the minus sign is commonly referred to as miinus.

In testing and diagnostics, negatiivne often describes results that indicate the absence of a target condition, for example negatiivne test (negative test result) or negatiivne tulemus in medical contexts. In photography and printing, negatiiv refers to a film or photographic negative—the reversed image from which positive prints are produced. The term is also used in experimental design and quality control to denote a negative control, highlighting the role of a condition that should not produce the effect under study.

Etymologically, negatiivne is derived from Latin negativus, passing into European languages through intermediary forms such as French negatif. In Estonian usage, negatiivne forms an increasingly common part of technical and everyday vocabulary, with its noun counterparts negatiiv and negatiivne kontroll serving specialized roles in science and industry. Overall, negatiivne functions as a versatile descriptor for opposition to positivity, absence, or reverse polarity across contexts.