minus
gb/mˈaɪnəs/ us/mˈaɪnəs/
A1
Inglés
~ 8000
Acepciones
0 acepciones
preposition
A1
relation
1
indicating subtraction or less
Used between two numbers or things to show that you take the second one away from the first one.
Patrón de uso:
[amount] minus [amount]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say *'two take away one equals one'* in formal writing instead of using 'minus'. 'Take away' is fine in very simple speech, but 'minus' is the standard word in math and most written English.
Sinónimos
less (Often used in math like 'ten less two'; slightly less common than 'minus' in this exact numeric pattern.)
Antónimos
plus (Shows addition rather than subtraction between amounts.)
Colocaciones
five minus three
|ten minus two is eight
|minus two points
|the total minus tax
|all of us minus John
Temas
math
|education
|daily_life
|science
Ejemplos
- In this problem you need to calculate nine minus four.
- Ten minus two equals eight.
- There were twelve people originally, minus three who left early.
- Your final score is fifty minus five penalty points.
- The full price minus the discount comes to thirty dollars.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Two minus one is one.
- Five minus three is two.
- We were six people, minus my sister who stayed home.
- The bill is twenty dollars minus the coupon.
- Eight minus four equals four.
adjective
A2
property
2
negative number or value
Below zero in number or temperature.
Patrón de uso:
minus [number]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say *'under zero'* or *'below zero five degrees'* instead of 'minus five degrees'. Use 'minus' directly before the number to show it is less than zero.
Sinónimos
negative (More general scientific and mathematical term; used in many of the same contexts.)
Antónimos
positive (Describes numbers or values greater than zero.)
Colocaciones
minus ten degrees
|minus five Celsius
|minus three percent
|minus balance
|a minus figure
|minus growth
Temas
math
|science
|weather
|finance
|education
Ejemplos
- Tonight the temperature could drop to minus ten degrees.
- The company reported minus three percent growth last year.
- Water freezes at zero; anything below that is minus.
- My bank account is at minus fifty dollars right now.
- The experiment only worked at minus twenty Celsius.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- It was minus five degrees this morning.
- The temperature is minus two outside.
- My score is minus three because I made mistakes.
- The balance is minus ten dollars in my account.
- In winter it can get to minus twenty here.
adjective
informal
B1
property
3
lacking or without something
Without something that you had before or usually have.
Patrón de uso:
[someone/something] [be/come] minus [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners may overuse this informal pattern in very formal writing. In formal contexts, it is usually better to say 'without' or 'lacking' instead of 'minus'.
Sinónimos
without (More general and neutral; 'minus' sounds a bit more informal or playful in this sense.)
Antónimos
with (Indicates that something is present instead of missing.)
Colocaciones
came back minus [something]
|returned minus his wallet
|arrived minus her luggage
|minus the ending
|minus his usual energy
Temas
daily_life
|informal
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- He came home from the party minus his jacket.
- The dish was good, but it arrived minus the salad we ordered.
- She walked out of the meeting minus any clear answers.
- The second edition of the book is the same, minus a few chapters.
- He’s been going to work minus his usual enthusiasm.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He returned minus his phone.
- The pizza came minus the cheese.
- She left the office minus her bag.
- The new version is the same minus two songs.
- I went to school minus my homework today.
Sustantivo
B2
entity
4
disadvantage or bad point
A bad point or problem in a thing or situation.
Patrón de uso:
the minus of [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say *'the minus side'* when they mean *'the downside'*. 'Minus' can be used this way, but 'downside' or 'disadvantage' are more common as single words.
Sinónimos
drawback (Very common in formal and neutral English; slightly more formal than 'minus'.)
Antónimos
plus (Refers to a positive feature or advantage, often contrasted directly with 'minus'.)
Colocaciones
pluses and minuses
|a big minus
|the main minus
|on the minus side
|one minus is the cost
|major minus
Temas
opinions
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Working from home has its pluses and minuses.
- One big minus of this plan is the cost.
- The only real minus is that the office is very far away.
- The long hours are a serious minus for many employees.
- From a privacy point of view, that feature is a definite minus.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Every job has pluses and minuses.
- A minus of this phone is the weak battery.
- The price is a big minus for me.
- The noise is the main minus of this flat.
- One minus is that the buses stop early.
Sustantivo
technical
B1
entity
5
the minus sign symbol
The small line (−) that shows subtraction or a number below zero.
Patrón de uso:
a minus in front of [number]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse the typed minus with a hyphen or dash in formal math writing. In handwriting, they look the same, but in typed math, fonts may distinguish them.
Sinónimos
minus sign (More specific phrase naming the symbol itself; identical meaning in math contexts.)
Antónimos
plus sign (The symbol (+) used for addition or positive numbers, opposite of the minus sign.)
Colocaciones
plus and minus
|the minus sign
|write a minus
|a minus in front
|with a minus before the number
Temas
math
|education
|science
Ejemplos
- Put a minus in front of the number to show it is negative.
- The teacher drew a big minus on the board.
- Make sure you don’t confuse the minus and the dash on your keyboard.
- Each incorrect answer gets a minus next to it.
- He accidentally typed a plus instead of a minus in the formula.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Write a minus before five to make it negative.
- The minus means you take away.
- I forgot the minus in the equation.
- There is a minus in front of the temperature.
- She drew a minus on the paper.
adjective
B2
property
6
slightly below a given grade
Used with a grade or level to show it is a little bit lower than that grade.
Patrón de uso:
[grade/level] minus
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes put 'minus' before the grade (*'minus B'*) instead of after it. In standard English, the plus or minus sign or word comes after the grade: 'B minus', 'C+'.
Sinónimos
below-average (Describes general performance, not specifically a letter grade; more evaluative and less exact.)
Antónimos
plus (In grading, shows that a mark is slightly above a basic level (e.g., 'B plus').)
Colocaciones
a B minus
|C minus student
|D minus average
|got a minus on the test
|minus rating
Temas
education
|assessment
Ejemplos
- She was disappointed with her B minus in chemistry.
- My average last semester was around C minus.
- The hotel only gets a three-minus rating in most reviews.
- He improved from a D minus to a solid C.
- In this course, anything below C minus is considered failing.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I got a B minus in English.
- His grade went from C minus to B.
- My first test was a D minus.
- A C minus is still a pass in this school.
- She is a C minus student in math.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
minus
AFI
GB/mˈaɪnəs/
US/mˈaɪnəs/
Sílabas y acento
minus (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (minus)
Formas de la palabra
Adjective
- Base: minus
Noun
- Base: minus
- Plural: minuses
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
on the minus side
1/ˈɔn ðə mˈaɪnəs sˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
talking about the bad points
Used before you say what is bad or not good about a situation.
Ejemplos
- On the minus side, the apartment is very noisy at night.
- The job pays well, but on the minus side the hours are long.
- On the minus side, this phone has a weak battery.
plus or minus
1/plˈʌs ˈɔɹ mˈaɪnəs/
fixed phrase
approximately; give or take
About this number, but it can be a little higher or a little lower.
Ejemplos
- The journey will take two hours, plus or minus ten minutes.
- The repair should cost $200, plus or minus a few dollars.
- The device can handle a voltage of 12 volts, plus or minus 5 percent.
plus or minus
2/plˈʌs ˈɔɹ mˈaɪnəs/
fixed phrase
technical
+/- indicating variation range
Shows that a number can be higher or lower by a small amount.
Ejemplos
- The distance is 10 miles, plus or minus half a mile.
- Your score could change by plus or minus two points.