The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.
MINUS
minus, negative
(adjective) involving disadvantage or harm; “minus (or negative) factors”
minus
(adjective) on the negative side or lower end of a scale; “minus 5 degrees”; “a grade of B minus”
subtraction, minus
(noun) an arithmetic operation in which the difference between two numbers is calculated; “the subtraction of three from four leaves one”; “four minus three equals one”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Preposition
minus
(mathematics) Made less or reduced by (followed by an expression of number or quantity). [from 15th c.]
Antonym: plus
(informal) Without; deprived of. [from 19th c.]
Synonyms: lacking, without
Noun
minus (plural minuses)
(mathematics) The minus sign (−). [from 16th c.]
(mathematics) A negative quantity. [from 18th c.]
A downside or disadvantage. [from 20th c.]
Synonyms
• (defect or deficiency): defect, deficiency, drawback, flaw, shortcoming
Antonyms
• (minus sign): plus, plus sign
• (negative quantity): positive
• (defect or deficiency): advantage, bonus, boon, gain, plus
Adjective
minus (not comparable)
Being a negative quantity; pertaining to a deficit or reduction. [from 18th c.]
That is below zero by (a specified amount) on a scale. [from 19th c.]
(colloquial, obsolete) Worse off than before; out of pocket. [19th c.]
(postpositive) Ranking just below (a designated rating). [from 19th c.]
Synonyms
• (negative): negative
• (on the negative part of a scale): below zero (after the noun)
Verb
minus (third-person singular simple present minuses, present participle minusing, simple past and past participle minused)
(transitive, colloquial) To subtract. [from 20th c.]
Anagrams
• in sum, munis, simun
Source: Wiktionary
Mi"nus, a. Etym: [L. See Minor, and cf. Mis- pref. from the French.] (Math.)
Definition: Less; requiring to be subtracted; negative; as, a minus quantity. Minus sign (Math.), the sign [-] denoting minus, or less, prefixed to negative quantities, or quantities to be subtracted. See Negative sign, under Negative.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Coffee Trivia
