Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
minus-sign
noun
/ˈmaɪnəs saɪn/
Definition
A symbol used to indicate the subtraction of numbers or to represent a negative value.
Examples
- When calculating the total, you need to place the minus sign before any negative numbers.
- The temperature dropped below zero, so we used a minus sign to indicate -5 degrees.
- In the equation 8 – 3, the minus sign shows that three is being subtracted from eight.
Meaning
The minus sign is primarily used in mathematics to show that one number is to be subtracted from another or to denote that a number is negative.
Synonyms
- subtraction symbol
- negative sign
