minus etymology

Etymology

The word "minus" comes from the Latin word "minuere," which means "to make less," "to diminish," or "to subtract."

Meaning

• Mathematical Operation: Minus indicates subtraction. It represents the operation of taking one number away from another.
• Sign: The minus sign (-) is a mathematical symbol that represents subtraction. It is placed in front of a number to indicate that it should be subtracted.
• Negative: In mathematics, minus is also used to indicate a negative value. A negative number is a number that is less than zero.
• Absence or Lack: In general usage, minus can also mean "without" or "lacking." For example, "The car has no radio minus."

Origin

The word "minuere" is believed to have originated from the Proto-Indo-European root "*men-," which means "smaller." This root is also found in other words related to size and quantity, such as "minuscule" and "minimum."

The word "minus" entered English through Old French in the 13th century. It was originally used in the mathematical sense, and later its meaning expanded to include "negative" and "lacking."

minus relate terms

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• mince

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• minim

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• minimum

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• subtraction

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• menu

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• habit

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• sustain

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