Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "minus" come from? It comes from Latin minus, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "minus" come from? It comes from Latin minus, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Minus’s story begins in Latin: minus meant “less.” Neuter of 'minor', smaller. It reached English by 1400s as minus. The minus sign − dates from the late 1400s. Today, minus means with the subtraction of.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient minus "less", neuter of 'minor', smaller.
- Stage 2 · English · 1400s minus "less", the minus sign − dates from the late 1400s.