minus

Etymology

From Latin minus, neuter form of minor, comparative form of parvus (“small, little”), from the Proto-Indo-European root *mey- (“few, small”).

prep

1. (mathematics) Made less or reduced by (followed by an expression of number or quantity).
   seven minus two is five
2. (informal) Without; deprived of.
   I walked out minus my coat.

noun

1. (mathematics) The minus sign (−).
2. (mathematics) A negative quantity.
3. A downside or disadvantage.

adj

1. Being a negative quantity; pertaining to a deficit or reduction.
   a minus number
2. That is below zero by (a specified amount) on a scale.
   minus seven degrees
3. (colloquial, obsolete) Worse off than before; out of pocket.
   The races being finished, we left Epsom for London, Mordaunt's natural vile temper not being at all improved by being three hundred pounds minus by the week's speculation […] . 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 301
4. (postpositive) Ranking just below (a designated rating).
   He got a grade of B minus for his essay.

verb

1. (transitive, colloquial) To subtract.
   Four plus one is 5 and you go down because it's minusing, […] 2011, Laura Christine Bofferding, Expanding the Numerical Central Conceptual Structure