neikvæðir

Neikvæðir is the masculine plural nominative form of the Icelandic adjective neikvæður, meaning negative. It is used to describe masculine plural nouns in contexts where something is considered negative, opposite of positive, or lacking in value. In mathematics, neikvæðir tölur refers to negative numbers, while in everyday language it can describe attitudes, effects, or outcomes that are not favorable.

Grammatically, neikvæðir is an inflected form that agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number. It is the standard masculine plural form; corresponding feminine plural and other gender/number forms exist (for example with feminine and neuter nouns). Like other Icelandic adjectives, neikvæðir can appear attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb.

Semantic range and usage extend across several domains. In science and mathematics, it commonly designates quantities or properties below zero or opposite in sign. In physics and chemistry, neikvæðir can describe negative charges or directions. In everyday Icelandic, it frequently conveys pessimism, adverse effects, or drawbacks, as in phrases describing negative consequences or attitudes.

Etymology and related terms: neikvæðir derives from the base neikvæð- meaning negative, with standard Icelandic adjective inflection. It is related to the noun neikvæðni (negativity) and to the antonym jákvæðir (positive). Cognates appear in other Nordic languages, reflecting a shared lineage with terms meaning negative or non-positive.

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