neutral

A nonaligned state, or a member of such a state.

Adjective

  1. Not taking sides in a conflict such as war; nonaligned.
  2. Favoring neither the supporting nor opposing viewpoint of a topic of debate; unbiased.
    • I am neutral regarding the issue of gay marriage.
    • The heart can not possibly remain neutral, but constantly takes part one way or the other. - 1711, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times:

    Synonyms: disinterested indifferent candid cold clinical detached egal equal equitable evenhanded fairhanded fair-minded dispassionate impartial imprejudicate indistinguishing neuter neutral nonaligned nonpartial nonpartisan nonpersonal objective unbiased

  3. Neither positive nor negative.
  4. Not biased; viewing situations objectively in a way that is neither positive nor negative.
    • a neutral person
  5. Neither beneficial nor harmful.
    • Some things good, and some things ill, do seem, And neutral some, in her fantastic eye. - c. 1600, Sir John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Soul:
    • Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…] The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation,[…] In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new...

    Synonyms: innocuous

  6. Having no sex; neuter.

    Synonyms: sexless

  7. Having no obvious colour; gray.

    Synonyms: beige

  8. Neither positive nor negative; possessing no charge or equivalent positive and negative charge such that there is no imbalance.

    Synonyms: uncharged chargeless

  9. Having a pH of or near 7, neither acidic nor alkaline.
  10. Of an alcoholic drink, having been fermented and distilled but with no additives.
  11. Having an alignment that is situated between two notable possibilities, such as between good and evil, or between chaotic and lawful.

Origin

From Middle French neutral (compare modern French neutre), from Latin neutrālis. By surface analysis, neuter + -al.

Forms

more neutral most neutral

Derived

antineutral carbon-neutral carbon neutral circumneutral electroneutral ethno-neutral gender neutral gender-neutral grain neutral spirit grape neutral spirit immunoneutral lost neutral metal neutral metal-neutral net-neutral neutral alcohol neutral area neutral citation neutral clef neutral conductor Neutral Confederacy neutral current neutral deduction neutral equilibrium

Noun

  1. A nonaligned state, or a member of such a state.
  2. A person who takes no side in a dispute.
    • They say in Harlan County There are no neutrals there You'll either be a union man Or a thug for J.H. Blair. - 1931, “Which Side Are You On?”, performed by Florence Patton Reece:
  3. An individual or entity serving as an arbitrator or adjudicator.
  4. A neutral hue.
  5. The position of a set of gears in which power cannot be transmitted to the drive mechanism.
    • Near-synonym: angel gear (humorous)
    • Put it in neutral, and we'll push it out of the garage.
    • He shoved the tractor into neutral, and, leaving the engine running, jumped down[.] - 1961, Robert S. Close, With Hooves of Brass, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 124:

    Synonyms: angel gear

  6. An electrical terminal or conductor which has zero or close to zero voltage with respect to the ground.

    Coordinate Terms: hot ground earth

Forms

neutrals

Related

freewheel overdrive

Derived

borrowed neutral chaotic neutral lawful neutral shared neutral