minteken

Minteken is the Dutch term for the minus sign, used in mathematics, arithmetic, and everyday notation to indicate subtraction, negation, or a negative value. It appears in expressions such as 8 − 3 and in front of numbers to denote negation, as in −5. In Dutch-language texts, the minteken is commonly described together with other mathematical symbols such as the plusteken and het gelijkteken (equals).

Typography and encoding: In professional typesetting, the minus sign is distinct from the hyphen. The standard Unicode minus sign is U+2212, while plain text often uses the ASCII hyphen-minus U+002D. In many fonts the glyphs differ and spacing rules may vary; as a binary operator, the minteken is typically spaced from surrounding numbers or variables, whereas unary negation may be written directly in front of a numeral in informal writing.

Computing and programming: In most programming languages, the minteken is represented by the ASCII hyphen-minus and used for both subtraction and unary negation. Some language communities distinguish by typography or allow the U+2212 character in source files, but compatibility with editors and compilers can be an issue. In calculators and spreadsheets, the minus sign is used to perform subtraction and to indicate negative results.

Usage context: The minteken appears across mathematics, science, finance, and education, reflecting a universal operation. Its correct rendering depends on font support and typographic conventions, particularly in formal publications and Unicode-aware environments.