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Added 9 October 2026

minus

/ˈmaɪ.nəs/ preposition

Latin root: minus Wiktionary

preposition Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about minus at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Made less or reduced by . .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
Seven minus two is five.
Without; deprived of.
I walked out minus my coat.

noun

The minus sign (−).
A negative quantity.
A downside or disadvantage.

adjective

Being a negative quantity; pertaining to a deficit or reduction.
a minus number
That is below zero by (a specified amount) on a scale.
minus seven degrees
Worse off than before; out of pocket.

verb

To subtract.

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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