Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: 'less', from minor 'smaller'

minus

1 preposition
     
mi‧nus1
1HM used to show that one number or quantity is being subtracted from another [≠ plus]:
17 minus 5 is 12 (17 - 5 = 12).
The payment will be refunded to you minus a small service charge.
2 informal without something that would normally be there, or that used to be there:
He came back minus a couple of front teeth.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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