\Af*firm"a*tive\, a. [L. affirmativus: cf. F.
affirmatif.]
1. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common
   law.
2. That affirms; asserting that the fact is so; declaratory
   of what exists; answering ``yes'' to a question; --
   opposed to {negative}; as, an affirmative answer; an
   affirmative vote.
3. Positive; dogmatic. [Obs.] --J. Taylor.
         Lysicles was a little by the affirmative air of
         Crito.                                --Berkeley.
4. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a
   proposition.
5. (Alg.) Positive; -- a term applied to quantities which are
   to be added, and opposed to {negative}, or such as are to
   be subtracted.

\Af*firm"a*tive\, n.
1. That which affirms as opposed to that which denies; an
   affirmative proposition; that side of question which
   affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to
   {negative}; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative,
   and ten in the negative.
         Whether there are such beings or not, 't is
         sufficient for my purpose that many have believed
         the affirmative.                      --Dryden.
2. A word or phrase expressing affirmation or assent; as,
   yes, that is so, etc.