minus

American  

[mahy-nuhs] / ˈmaɪ nəs /

preposition

1. less by the subtraction of; decreased by.

   Ten minus six is four.

2. lacking or without.

   a book minus its title page.

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adjective

1. involving or noting subtraction.

2. algebraically negative.

   a minus quantity.

3. less than; just below in quality.

   to get a C minus on a test.

4. Informal. having negative qualities or characteristics; inferior.

5. 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

• minuses
  plural

1. minus sign.

2. a minus quantity.

3. a deficiency or loss.

4. Informal. a person or thing with no apparent abilities, usefulness, etc..

   The last applicant was a definite minus.

minus British  

/ ˈmaɪnəs /

preposition

1. reduced by the subtraction of

   four minus two (written 4 – 2)

2. informal deprived of; lacking

   minus the trimmings, that hat would be ordinary

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adjective

1. 1. indicating or involving subtraction

      a minus sign

   2. Also: negative.  having a value or designating a quantity less than zero

      a minus number

2. on the negative part of a scale or coordinate axis

   a value of minus 40°C

3. involving a disadvantage, harm, etc

   a minus factor

4. (postpositive) education slightly below the standard of a particular grade

   he received a B minus for his essay

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

6. denoting a negative electric charge

noun

1. short for minus sign

2. a negative quantity

3. a disadvantage, loss, or deficit

4. informal something detrimental or negative

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• minuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of minus

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

Explanation

Use the word minus to mean "less" or "with the subtraction of." When it's minus fifteen degrees outside, it's fifteen below zero — or fifteen degrees less than zero. Whenever you talk about negative numbers, whether they relate to temperature or your bank account, the adjective minus always applies. If you have minus fifty dollars in the bank, you're below zero on the money scale. You can also use minus as noun, to mean "subtraction," or a subtraction mark: "Put a minus in front of that three before you add the columns." Minus means "less" in Latin, and it's closely related to minor, or "smaller."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

minus minuses

They continue to exist under the mummy's current storage conditions, which include a temperature of minus six degrees Celsius and high humidity.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

That was weaker than expectations of economists polled last week by The Wall Street Journal, who anticipated minus 28.1.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

GfK said its U.K. consumer-confidence barometer rose six points to minus 17 in July, marking the largest increase since November 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Net asset value was minus 9.1% from January through July of 2026, versus a 5% increase over the same stretch last year, according to Chua.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

My daily routine included lunch with Alexia and the girls, minus Danielle and Anna—they sat alone—and then recess.

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea

Watch personal-tech columnist Nicole Nguyen review the pluses and minuses of all the new hot wearable fitness trackers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The net effect of these pluses and minuses is unknown.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026

That’s a slight pullback from March, and the underlying data had both pluses and minuses.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

So, as an introvert, what are the pluses and minuses there?

From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2025

Mr. Ibis pushed his lower lip upward, then let his head bob from side to side, as if it were on a spring, weighing the pluses and minuses, seeing things from both points of view.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman