Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AF-FIRM'A-TIVE, a.

1. That affirms, or asserts; declaratory of what exists; opposed to negative; as, an affirmative proposition.
2. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common law.
3. In algebra, positive; a term applied to numbers which have the sign + plus, denoting addition, and opposed to negative, or such as have the sign - minus, denoting subtraction.
4. Positive; dogmatic. [Obs.] – Taylor.