minus

[mahy-nuh s]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR minus ON THESAURUS.COM

preposition

less by the subtraction of; decreased by: Ten minus six is four.

lacking or without: a book minus its title page.

adjective

involving or noting subtraction.

algebraically negative: a minus quantity.

less than; just below in quality: to get a C minus on a test.

Informal. having negative qualities or characteristics; inferior.

Mycology. (in heterothallic fungi) designating, in the absence of morphological differentiation, one of the two strains of mycelia that unite in the sexual process.

noun

minus sign.

a minus quantity.

a deficiency or loss.

Informal. a person or thing with no apparent abilities, usefulness, etc.: The last applicant was a definite minus.

Origin of minus

1300–50; Middle English < Latin, neuter of minor less; see minor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for minus

negative, less, deficient, smaller, defective, from, lacking, without, diminished

Examples from the Web for minus

Contemporary Examples of minus

Normally, 434 members (minus Michael Grimm who resigned) would vote for Speaker.
Democrats Accidentally Save Boehner From Republican Coup
Ben Jacobs, Jackie Kucinich
January 6, 2015
After all, 2009 was miserable: minus 798,000, minus 701,000, minus 826,000, and so on.
Why You Don’t Know Obama Has Created 4.5 Million Jobs
Michael Tomasky
July 7, 2014
In person, Messina is a bit like Danny, minus the curmudgeon qualities.
Chris Messina Isn’t Just Dr. Castellano on ‘The Mindy Project’
Melissa Leon
April 25, 2014
She reads aloud: “You plus me (minus Julie) equals true love!”
The Walking Dead’s Killer Diva Emily Kinney on Daryl and ‘Expired Love’
Melissa Leon
March 20, 2014
Strategy decisions are made by the Skip but everyone weighs in, creating a kaffeeklatsch on the sheet (minus the coffee).
Curling: Your New Olympic Addiction, Explained
Brett Singer
February 13, 2014

Historical Examples of minus

The "a" was misplaced, the "W" minus its lower right-hand corner.
The Film of Fear
Arnold Fredericks
Temperature: minus two hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit.
Equation of Doom
Gerald Vance
In 1783 he died the death of Diogenes, minus the wit of the cynic.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
O'Mally handed him the exact amount, minus the lira for the button.
The Lure of the Mask
Harold MacGrath
It is also called a "minus" glass, while the magnifying glass is called a "plus" glass.
A Handbook of Health
Woods Hutchinson

British Dictionary definitions for minus

minus

preposition

reduced by the subtraction offour minus two (written 4 – 2)

informal deprived of; lackingminus the trimmings, that hat would be ordinary

adjective

indicating or involving subtractiona minus sign
Also: negativehaving a value or designating a quantity less than zeroa minus number

on the negative part of a scale or coordinate axisa value of minus 40°C

involving a disadvantage, harm, etca minus factor

(postpositive) education slightly below the standard of a particular gradehe received a B minus for his essay

botany designating the strain of a fungus that can only undergo sexual reproduction with a plus strain

denoting a negative electric charge

noun

short for minus sign

a negative quantity

a disadvantage, loss, or deficit

informal something detrimental or negative

Mathematical symbol: –

Word Origin for minus

C15: from Latin, neuter of minor

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for minus

prep.

late 15c., "with subtraction of," from Latin minus "less," neuter of minor "smaller," from PIE *mi-nu-, suffixed form of root *mei- "small" (cf. Latin minuere "to diminish, reduce, lessen," Greek meion "less, smaller," Old English minsian "to diminish," Sanskrit miyate "diminishes, declines," Russian men'she "less").

Mathematical use in expressions of calculation did not exist in the word in classical Latin and is probably from North Sea medieval commercial usage of Latin plus and minus to indicate surplus or deficiency of weight or measure. Origin of the "minus sign" is disputed.

1650s, from minus (prep.).