qualitative analysis

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

qualitative analysis
    n 1: the act of decomposing a substance into its constituent
         elements [syn: {chemical analysis}, {qualitative analysis}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Qualitative \Qual"i*ta*tive\, a. [Cf. LL. gualitativus, F.
   qualitatif.]
   Relating to quality; having the character of quality. --
   {Qual"i*ta*tive*ly}, adv.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Qualitative analysis} (Chem.), analysis which merely
      determines the constituents of a substance without any
      regard to the quantity of each ingredient; -- contrasted
      with quantitative analysis.
      [1913 Webster]