minus
pronunciation
How to pronounce minus in British English:
UK [ˈmaɪnəs]
How to pronounce minus in American English:
US [ˈmaɪnəs]
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- Noun:
- an arithmetic operation in which the difference between two numbers is calculated
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- Adjective:
- on the negative side or lower end of a scale
- involving disadvantage or harm
Word Origin
- minus (prep.)
- late 15c., "with subtraction of," from Latin minus "less," neuter of minor "smaller," from PIE *mi-nu-, suffixed form of root *mei- (2) "small" (cognates: 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.
- minus (n.)
- 1650s, from minus (prep.).
Antonym
Example
- 1. Gross profit is calculated as revenues minus cost of sales .
- 2. Economists expected a gain to minus 6 , according to the median forecast .
- 3. In this , three minus two equals more than one .
- 4. This plugin center any element in page , horizontal and vertical using the css minus margin method .
- 5. The survey has a total margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points , larger for subgroups .