positifs

Positifs is the plural form of the French adjective positif, and in common usage it can also function as a noun in expressions that refer to positive aspects or outcomes. As an adjective, positif describes something favorable, affirmative, or advantageous, as in une attitude positive ou des résultats positifs. In practice, the word often occurs in phrases such as les points positifs, meaning the positive aspects of a situation.

In mathematics and number theory, positifs refers to the set of positive numbers, that is, numbers greater than zero. The term is paired with négatifs (negative numbers) and with zéro, which is neither positive nor negative. In this domain, a number x is positif if x > 0.

In science, business, and everyday life, positif describes things that are not negative. For example, a test result can be positif (positive) or négatif (negative). Reports may discuss the positif aspects of a policy or the negative side; the neutral term for both sides is pros and cons, with positif signaling the favorable component.

Etymology: from Latin positivus, through French, and cognate with English positive. In English, the word positives serves as a direct translation of the French, but the French usage often covers broader senses, including qualitative judgments about desirable outcomes.