minus

1 of 3

preposition

mi·​nus ˈmī-nəs 

1

: diminished by : less

seven minus four is three

2

: deprived of : without

left minus his hat

minus

2 of 3

noun

1

: a negative quantity

2

: a negative quality

especially : drawback

decided the pluses of owning a house outweighed the minuses

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

Synonyms of minus

Preposition

• without

Noun

• disadvantage
• handicap
• negative
• downside

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

Preposition

At barnyard-chic Le Garde Champêtre, Japanese chef Kazuya Miyashita weaves the organic vegetable garden’s produce into farm-to-table plates minus the fuss—simply smoked and cooked around the fire. — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026

Filming ran 115 days across 11 cities, including Patiala, Gwalior, Chandigarh and Bikaner, encompassing more than 100 locations, 190 speaking parts and temperatures ranging from minus 20 to over 40 degrees Celsius. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026

Noun

Each group will determine how many snaps each player gets in each preseason game with the A-group getting none, the B-plus-group getting 10 to 15 snaps, the B-minus-group getting 25 to 35 snaps and the C-group getting unlimited snaps. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Aug. 2026

Not only did Green Bay lose its final five games, LaFleur’s grade of a B-minus in an NFLPA survey was one of the lowest among NFL coaches. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Adjective

With two losses and a minus-seven goal differential, the World Cup is all but over for Uzbekistan. — Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

First, ask yourself is your overall situation a plus, minus, or neutral? — Nancy K. Schlossberg, USA Today, 26 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing minus

• minus sign
• on the minus side
• plus/minus sign
• plus or minus

Rhymes for minus

• coyness
• dryness
• highness
• linus
• pinus
• shyness
• sinus
• busyness
• equinus

Kids Definition

minus

1 of 3 preposition

mi·​nus ˈmī-nəs 

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

especially : disadvantage entry 1 sense 2b

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 

: 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