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minus

 - 5 dictionary results

mi⋅nus

  [mahy-nuhs]
Use minus in a Sentence
–preposition
1. less by the subtraction of; decreased by: Ten minus six is four.
2. lacking or without: a book minus its title page.
–adjective
3. involving or noting subtraction.
4. algebraically negative: a minus quantity.
5. less than; just below in quality: to get a C minus on a test.
6. Informal. having negative qualities or characteristics; inferior.
7. 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
8. minus sign.
9. a minus quantity.
10. a deficiency or loss.
11. Informal. a person or thing with no apparent abilities, usefulness, etc.: The last applicant was a definite minus.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < L, neut. of minor less; see minor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To minus
mi·nus   (mī'nəs)   
prep.  

  1. Mathematics Reduced by the subtraction of; less: Ten minus four is six.

  2. Informal Without: I went to work minus my ID.

adj.  

  1. Mathematics Negative or on the negative part of a scale: a minus value; minus five degrees.

  2. Ranking on the lower end of a designated scale: a grade of A minus.

n.  

  1. Mathematics

    1. The minus sign (-).

    2. A negative quantity.

  2. A deficiency or defect.


[Middle English, from Latin minus, neuter of minor, less; see mei-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

minus 
1481, "with subtraction of," from L. minus "less," neut. of minor "smaller," from PIE *mi-nu-, from base *mei- "small" (cf. Skt. miyate "diminishes, declines," Gk. meion "less, smaller," Rus. men'she "less," O.E. minsian "to diminish"). Mathematical use in expressions of calculation did not exist in classical L., and is probably from North Sea medieval commercial usage of L. plus and minus to indicate surplus or deficiency of weight or measure.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: mi·nus
Pronunciation: 'mI-n&s
Function: adjective
: relating to or being one of the two mating types required for successfulfertilization in sexual reproduction in some lower plants (as a fungus) —compare PLUS
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Computing Dictionary

minus
-
Common: dash; ITU-T: hyphen; ITU-T: minus. Rare: INTERCAL: worm; option; dak; bithorpe.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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