plus-minus signs

A form of plus-minus sign — the symbol ±, meaning "plus or minus", used to indicate the precision of an approximation (as in "The result is 10 ± 0.3", meaning the result is anywhere in the inclusive range from 9.7 to 10.3), or as a convenient shorthand for a quantity with two possible values of opposing sign and identical magnitude (as in "The roots of the equation x²-4=0 are ±2").

Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of plus-minus sign
Cite this entry
APA

plus-minus signs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plus-minus%20signs

MLA

“plus-minus signs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plus-minus%20signs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plus-minus signs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plus-minus%20signs.

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