minus // preposition, adjective, noun

■ preposition

1

used when one number or amount is being taken away from another:

$100 minus $92.50 gives you a gain of $7.50.

The core rate of inflation is the consumer price index minus food and energy.

SYN LESS

2 (informal)

without sth that was there before:

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

OPP PLUS, ⇨ PLUS prep.

■ adjective

1

used before a number to show that it is lower than zero:

a minus number

Sales rose last month to $60 million from minus $24 in June.

2

making sth seem negative and less attractive or good:

What are the car's minus points?

◆ On the minus side, the job involves very long hours of work.

■ noun [C]

1 (informal)

a negative quality; a disadvantage:

Let's consider the pluses and minuses of changing the system.

2 (also minus sign)

the symbol ( - ), used in mathematics

OPP PLUS

• property tax
• proportion
• proportional
• proportionate
• proposal
• propose
• proposition
• proprietary
• proprietary trading
• proprietor
• pro rata
• prorate
• pros and cons
• prosecute
• prosecution
• prospect
• prospective
• prospectus
• prosper
• prosperity
• prosperous
• prosumer
• protect
• protection
• protectionism