Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- prep. Mathematics Reduced by the subtraction of; less: Ten minus four is six.
- prep. Informal Without: I went to work minus my ID.
- adj. Mathematics Negative or on the negative part of a scale: a minus value; minus five degrees.
- adj. Ranking on the lower end of a designated scale: a grade of A minus.
- n. Mathematics The minus sign (-).
- n. Mathematics A negative quantity.
- n. A deficiency or defect.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Less(by a certain amount): followed by a noun as an apparent object (a preposition, by, to be supplied): as, the net amount is so much minus the waste or tare; 25 minus 9 is 16. In algebra and arithmetic this sense is indicated by the sign —, called the minus sign or sign of subtraction: as, a — b = x, which is read “a minus b equals x”; 25 — 9 = 16.
- Less than nothing; belonging to the inverse or negative side, as of an account; lying in the direction from the origin of measurement opposite to ordinary quantities: below zero, or below the lowest point of positive or upward reckoning: as, a minus amount or sum (that, is, an amount or sum representing loss or debt); a minus quantity in an equation (that is, one having the minus sign before it); the tempera ture was minus twenty degrees (written —20, and read “twenty degrees below zero”) In some common mathematical phrases, minus seems to he used as an adverb modifying the numeral adjective. Thus astrono-mers speak of the year minus 584 of the Christian era, meaning 585 b. c.
- Marking or yielding less than nothing or less than zero; negative in value or result: as, the minus sign (see def. 1).
- Deprived or devoid of; not having; without, as something necessary: as, he escaped minus his hat and coat; a gun minus its lock.
- Lacking positive value; wanting.
Wiktionary
- conj. mathematics Difference of the previous number from the following number.
- prep. informal without.
- adj. mathematics Negative.
- adj. On the negative part of a scale.
- adj. Ranking just below a designated rating.
- n. mathematics A minus sign (−).
- n. mathematics A negative quantity.
- n. A defect or deficiency.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. (Math.) Less; requiring to be subtracted; negative.
- n. A factor counted as a disadvantage; a loss or potential loss in a situation or plan.
WordNet 3.0
- n. an arithmetic operation in which the difference between two numbers is calculated
- adj. on the negative side or lower end of a scale
- adj. involving disadvantage or harm
Etymologies
- From the neuter form of Latin minor ("smaller"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, from Latin minus, neuter of minor, less. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Sobey's will carry your groceries and load your car for you, even in minus 40!”
“The minus is because I think they should've done a bigger stimulus.”
“The minus is only - they've accomplished an awful lot.”
“That is one snug and comfy tent even in minus twenty weather.”
“What I meant was that adjusted plus/minus is too noisy to be the only stat we use.”
“The whole weight equals calories in minus calories out is a fallacy.”
“Weight change = calories in minus calories out is not a “simplistic and unsupported hypothesis”; it is an exact physical law.”
“The one minus is that warrants become valueless if the company folds, where a secured load should get something back in the way of assets to sell of.”
“In Alaska ATVing in minus -35 degrees, polypropylene long johns, Military BDU pants, Military cold weather brown wool sweater, BDU Shirt next size larger or so to accommodate the Wool sweater, Winter BDU jacket and fat boy pants and a good pair of Sorel® Caribou Boots is my #1 pick.”
“REC June survey: Job market at its weakest for 5 years and in minus growth.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘minus’.
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Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 11184 more...
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What's That Pokémon Name?
Words used to create the names of Pokémon, which are usually portmanteaux.
bulb, dinosaur, ivy, venus, char, salamander, squirt, turtle, blast, tortoise, water, caterpillar and 525 more...
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common words
mei- root words, a changing mixture
common, communion, community, meatus, conge, permeate, irremeable, mew, molt, mutate, commute, permute and 87 more...
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arithmetic
numeral, number, zero, positive, negative, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, addend, minuend, subtrahend and 36 more...
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Name Suggestions for Ultra-Compact Cars
A companion list to Name Suggestions for Even Bigger SUVs and Trucks. :-)
Sounds best when you preface each word with "the."speck, iota, minute, mote, dot, jot, mite, molecule, particle, smidgen, morsel, scintilla and 64 more...
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free's Words
freedom, balance, top, pop, music, sci, art, biz, psy, key, link, way and 82 more...
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titles
inspire.
ephemera, imperfect, fracture, Myrmidon, patchwork, minus, aboveboard, aggregate
Tweets
Looking for tweets for minus.

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