■ preposition
1》 with the subtraction of.
↘ informal lacking: he was ~ a finger.
2》 (of temperature) falling below zero by: ~ 40 degrees centigrade.
■ adjective
1》 (before a number) below zero; negative.
2》 (after a grade) rather worse than: C ~.
3》 having a negative electric charge.
■ noun
1》 short for ~ sign .
2》 informal a disadvantage.
Origin
C15: from L., neut. of minor 'less'.