German word

negativ

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈneːgatiːf/

Meaning

  • adjectivenegative

Example

Wir haben einen negativen Kontostand.

Our account balance is negative.

Illustration for negativ (negative)

More examples

Ich habe eine negative Rückmeldung zum Projekt bekommen.

I received negative feedback on the project.

Core concept

A mark on the minus side of a scale covers disapproval, an absent test finding, and values below zero.

Common phrases

  • negative Rückmeldung

    negative feedback

  • negative Erfahrungen

    negative experiences

  • negativer Trend

    negative trend

Similar words

schlecht: Referring to something of poor quality or in bad condition.
kritisch: Taking a strict view that emphasizes shortcomings or problems.
pessimistisch: Not expecting good results in the future.

Definition in German

Negativ beschreibt eine ablehnende, kritische oder schädliche Haltung; bei Zahlen steht negativ für Werte unter null.

Word origin

German negativ comes from Latin negativus, based on negare, meaning 'to deny', and expresses denial, absence, or opposition.

Usage tips

  • In medical and testing contexts, a negative result usually means that the tested condition was not detected, so it is not automatically bad.

Other meanings

  • unfavorableadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Negativitätnegativitynoun
  • Negativbewertungnegative evaluationnoun

Word lists with this word