Definition of minus

minuspreposition

(phép toán) trừ

/ˈmʌɪnəs/

Definition of undefined

The word "minus" has its roots in the Latin word "minus," which means "less" or "smaller." In the 15th century, the term was borrowed into Middle English from Old French "emminus," which was derived from Latin "minus." The meaning of the word gradually shifted to refer specifically to the act of subtracting or taking away. In the 16th century, the symbol "-" was introduced as a shorthand for the word "minus," and this symbol has remained a standard notation for subtraction in mathematics. Today, the word "minus" is used in a variety of contexts, including mathematics, measurement, and everyday language, to indicate a decrease or reduction. Despite its widespread use, the word's origins remain rooted in the Latin concept of "less" or "smaller."

Summary
type danh từ
meaningtrừ
examplethe minus sign: dấu trừ
meaning(thông tục) thiếu, mất, không còn
exampleminus charge: (vật lý) điện tích âm
type tính từ
meaningtrừ
examplethe minus sign: dấu trừ
meaningâm
exampleminus charge: (vật lý) điện tích âm
namespace

used when you subtract (= take away) one number or thing from another one

được sử dụng khi bạn trừ (= lấy đi) một số hoặc vật từ số khác

Example:
  • Seven minus three is four (7 − 3 = 4).

    Bảy trừ ba bằng bốn (7 − 3 = 4).

  • the former Soviet Union, minus the Baltic republics and Georgia

    Liên Xô cũ, trừ các nước cộng hòa Baltic và Georgia

used to express temperature below zero degrees

dùng để biểu thị nhiệt độ dưới 0 độ

Example:
  • It was minus ten.

    Đó là âm mười.

  • The temperature dropped to minus 28 degrees centigrade (−28°C).

    Nhiệt độ giảm xuống âm 28 độ C (-28°C).

without something that was there before

không có thứ gì đó đã có trước đó

Example:
  • We're going to be minus a car for a while.

    Chúng ta sẽ không có ô tô trong một thời gian.

  • The group found itself minus a bass player.

    Nhóm nhận thấy mình thiếu một người chơi bass.

Related words and phrases

Idioms

plus or minus
used when the number mentioned may actually be more or less by a particular amount
  • The margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points.