This satin cloth is a neutral color.
- An example of neutral is a person who does not take sides in an argument between two friends.
- An example of neutral is the color tan.
- not taking the side of either of the parties in a dispute or quarrel
- not taking part in a war; giving no active aid to any belligerent
- not associated with either side in a war, dispute, contest, etc.: a neutral corner in a boxing ring
- of, belonging to, or characteristic of a nation not taking part in a war or not aligning itself with either side in a power struggle
- belonging to neither extreme in type, kind, etc.; without strongly marked characteristics
- not indicating, favoring, or contributing to a particular option: often in comb.: a gender-neutral use of pronouns
- of a situation in which contrasted elements, as losses and gains, offset each other: a carbon-neutral energy policy
- having little or no decided color; not vivid: beige is a neutral color
- Biol. neuter
- Chem. giving neither acid nor alkaline reaction
- Elec. neither negative nor positive; uncharged
- Phonet. articulated with the tongue relaxed and in the mid-central position, as the vowel in most unstressed syllables, the (?)
Origin of neutralFrench ; from Medieval Latin neutralis ; from L, of neuter gender ; from neuter: see neuter
- a nation not taking part in a war or conflict; neutral power
- a neutral person or a citizen of a neutral country
- a neutral color
- Mech. a disengaged position of gears, in which they do not transmit power from the engine to the operating parts
- Not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest.
- Belonging to neither side in a controversy: on neutral ground.
- Belonging to neither kind; not one thing or the other.
- Sexless; neuter.
- Chemistry a. Of or relating to a solution or compound that is neither acidic nor alkaline.b. Of or relating to a compound that does not ionize in solution.
- Physics a. Of or relating to a particle, an object, or a system that has neither positive nor negative electric charge.b. Of or relating to a particle, object, or system that has a net electric charge of zero.
- Of or indicating a color, such as gray, black, or white, that lacks hue; achromatic.
- Linguistics Pronounced with the tongue in a middle position, neither high nor low, as the a in around.
- a. A nation nonaligned with either side in a war.b. A citizen of such a nation.
- One who takes no side in a controversy: “I am by disposition one of life's neutrals, a human Switzerland” (John Gregory Dunne).
- A neutral hue.
- A position in which a set of gears is disengaged so that power cannot be transmitted.
Origin of neutralMiddle English neuteral, from Old French neutral, from Latin neutralis, grammatically neuter, from neuter, neutr-; see neuter.
nounpl. Neutral or Neu·trals
(comparative more neutral, superlative most neutral)
- Not taking sides in a conflict such as war; nonaligned.
- Favouring neither the supporting nor opposing viewpoint of a topic of debate; unbiased.
- I am neutral regarding the issue of gay marriage.
- (grammar) Neither positive nor negative.
- Neither beneficial nor harmful.
- (biology) Having no sex; neuter.
- Having no obvious colour; gray
- (physics) Neither positive nor negative; possessing no charge or equivalent positive and negative charge such that there is no imbalance.
- (chemistry) Having a pH of 7, neither acidic nor alkaline.
- A nonaligned state, or a member of such a state.
- A person who takes no side in a dispute.
- An individual or entity serving as an arbitrator or adjudicator (jargon / legal).
- A neutral hue.
- The position of a set of gears in which power cannot be transmitted to the drive mechanism.
- An electrical terminal or conductor which has zero or close to zero voltage with respect to the ground.
From Middle French neutral (French: neutre), from Latin neutralis.
neutral - Investment & Finance Definition
A rating used by Wall Street analysts. Even though neutral implies the lack of an opinion, a neutral rating is a code phrase for a sell rating. The word sell is rarely used in order to avoid offending clients and preventing the investment bank that the analyst works for from winning future lucrative banking business from the client. The term market perform also may be used to indicate a neutral opinion.