minus sign

1. Mathematics. The symbol −, as in 4 − 2 = 2, that is used to indicate subtraction or a negative quantity.
2. Chemistry. The same symbol, used to indicate levorotatory rotation of polarized light.

The minus sign (-) is the subtract symbol in programming and on calculator keyboards. For example, 10 - 7 means subtract 7 from 10. It is also used in command line syntax for a switch. For example, in the PKUNZIP statement pkunzip lotstuff -d, the -d is a switch that tells the program to create the original Directory structure that is stored in the .ZIP file. See forward slash.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a sign indicating the operation of subtraction