1301-1399 century, negatif, “expressing denial” (a sense now rare or obsolete), from Anglo-French negatif (early 14c.), Old French negatif (13c.) and directly from Latin negativus “that which denies,” from negat-, past-participle stem of negare “deny, say no” (see deny).
The meaning “expressing negation” is from c. 1500; that of “characterized by absence of that which is affirmative or positive” is from 1560s. Algebraic sense, denoting quantities which are a subtraction from zero, is from 1670s. The electricity sense is from 1755.
Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. [John Keats, letter, Dec. 21, 1817]
Related: Negatively.
late 14c., “a prohibition” (a sense now obsolete), also “absence, nonexistence; opposite,” from Old French negatif and directly from Latin negativus (see negative (adj.)).
Meaning “a negative statement” is from 1560s. Sense of “that side of a question which denies what the opposite side affirms” is from 1570s. Meaning “the right or power of refusing assent” is from 1610s. Meaning “a negative quality” is from 1640s. In mathematics, “a negative number,” from 1706. Photographic sense of “image in which the lights and shades are the opposite of those in nature” is recorded by 1853. As a response, “I refuse, disagree, no,” from 1945, originally in radio communication.
“reject, refuse to accept,” 1706, from negative (adj.).
“the quality of being negative in any sense,” 1842, from negative + -ity.
also super-negative, “containing a double negative,” by 1889, from super- + negative (adj.).
1824, “the policy of opposition;” see negative (adj.) + -ism. Or, specifically, “the views of a negationist” (one who simply denies beliefs commonly held without asserting an opposite view). Related: Negativistic.
late 14c., privatif, “characterized by absence of a quality, characterized by taking away or removal of something,” from Latin privativus “denoting privation,” in grammar, “negative,” from privatus, past participle of privare “to deprive, rob, strip” of anything; “to deliver from” anything” (see private (adj.)).
In grammar, from 1580s as “expressing negation, changing the sense of a word from positive to negative” (as do the prefixes un-, an- (1), in- (1), a- (3), etc.). Related: Privatively.
1846, “characteristic ideas or methods of professional persons,” from professional (adj.) + -ism. In late 19c., in sports and amusements, sometimes with a negative sense, implying pursuit of some activity so marked as to be objectionable or offensive (1879).
1530s, “a release from confinement,” from enlarge in the secondary Middle English sense “release a prisoner” (mid-15c.) + -ment. Meaning “act of increasing in size” is from 1560s. Photographic sense “picture of a larger size than the negative from which it was made” is from 1866.
early 15c., negacioun, “an act of denial,” from Old French negacion (12c.) and directly from Latin negationem (nominative negatio) “denial,” noun of action from past-participle stem of negare “deny, say no,” from PIE root *ne- “not.” As “a negative assertion,” mid-15c.
Source: O
https://www.etymonline.com
oxford dictionary