Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

   {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.

Source : WordNet®

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