minus

1 of 3

preposition

mi·​nus ˈmī-nəs How to pronounce minus (audio)
1
: diminished by : less
seven minus four is three
2
: deprived of : without
minus his hat

minus

2 of 3

noun

1
: a negative quantity
2
: a negative quality
especially : drawback

minus

3 of 3

adjective

1
: algebraically negative
a minus quantity
minus ten degrees
2
: having a negative quality
3
: relating to or being a particular one of the two mating types that are required for successful fertilization in sexual reproduction in some lower plants (such as a fungus)
4
: falling low in a specified range
B minus

Examples of minus in a Sentence

Preposition He left the restaurant minus his hat. a fruit that looks like a peach, minus the fuzz Noun She decided that the pluses of owning a home outweighed the minuses. Some employers see a lack of experience as a real minus. Put the minus to the left of the number.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Preposition
According to Cooley, come July, there will hardly be any sign of cicadas minus the holes in the ground and the eggs in the trees. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025 Velvety-soft hands minus the stickiness or the greasy feel. Denise Primbet, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
Ware closed Monday’s loss with two points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field and 0-of-2 shooting on threes, five rebounds, three assists and one block while posting a negative plus/minus of minus 12 in 23 minutes. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025 Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey have been together for just five of those last 15 games, with a cumulative plus/minus of minus-5. Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
In 1994, a two year old girl in Saskatchewan wandered out of her house and into a minus 40 degree night. Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025 The defeat means the Red Devils slip to 15th in the Premier League table, with a minus seven goal difference. Ben Church, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for minus

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Middle English, from Latin minus, adverb, less, from neuter of minor smaller — more at minor

First Known Use

Preposition

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1708, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of minus was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Minus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minus. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

minus

1 of 3 preposition
mi·​nus ˈmī-nəs How to pronounce minus (audio)
1
: with the subtraction of : less
7 minus 4 is 3
2
: without entry 1 sense 3a
minus his hat

minus

2 of 3 noun
1
: a negative quantity
2
: a negative quality

minus

3 of 3 adjective
1
: mathematically negative
4 plus minus 3
2
: falling low in a specified range
a grade of C minus

Medical Definition

minus

adjective
mi·​nus ˈmī-nəs How to pronounce minus (audio)
: relating to or being one of the two mating types required for successful fertilization in sexual reproduction in some lower plants (as a fungus) compare plus

More from Merriam-Webster on minus

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