minus-plus sign

noun

the symbol ∓, meaning "minus or plus", used alongside the plus-minus sign to show that a negative value is to be taken where the positive value is indicated by the plus-minus sign, and vice versa (as in (x ± 1) / (x ∓ 2), which means (x + 1) / (x - 2) and (x - 1) / (x + 2).

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounminus-plus sign (plural minus-plus signs)

plural minus-plus signs

  1. mathematicsthe symbol ∓, meaning "minus or plus", used alongside the plus-minus sign to show that a negative value is to be taken where the positive value is indicated by the plus-minus sign, and vice versa (as in (x ± 1) / (x ∓ 2), which means (x + 1) / (x - 2) and (x - 1) / (x + 2).
Cite this entry
APA

minus-plus sign. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minus-plus%20sign

MLA

“minus-plus sign.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minus-plus%20sign. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “minus-plus sign,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minus-plus%20sign.

Source: minus-plus sign on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.