In linear algebra, a symmetric n × n real matrix M is said to be positive definite if zTMz is positive for every non-zero column vector z of n real numbers. Here zT denotes the transpose of z.
More generally, an n × n Hermitian matrix M is said to be positive definite if z*Mz is real and positive for all non-zero complex vectors z. Here z* denotes the conjugate transpose of z.
The negative definite, positive semi-definite, and negative semi-definite matrices are defined in the same way, except that the expression zTMz or z*Mz is required to be always negative, non-negative, and non-positive, respectively.
Positive definite matrices are closely related to positive-definite symmetric bilinear forms (or sesquilinear forms in the complex case), and to inner products of vector spaces.[1]
Some authors use more general definitions of "positive definite" that include some non-symmetric real matrices, or non-Hermitian complex ones.