neg

Neg is an informal abbreviation with several distinct meanings across different fields. It commonly signals negation or reversal and is used in mathematics, logic, photography, testing, and slang. The precise sense depends on context, so readers should look to surrounding language to determine which definition applies.

In logic and mathematics, negation is an operation that inverts truth value. If a statement p is true, its negation not p is false, and vice versa. The symbol read as not or negation is applied to propositions. In arithmetic and programming, a negative sign or a function such as neg(x) yields the additive inverse of a number, changing its sign.

In photography, a neg or negative is an image in which tonal values are reversed relative to the final print. Traditional film negatives record light exposure inversely, so the darkest areas print as light on the positive print. Negatives are processed, stored, and printed to produce standard photographic images.

In medicine and testing, negative indicates the absence of the targeted condition or substance. A negative result implies non-detection within the test's sensitivity, such as a negative result for a disease, an allergy, or a pregnancy test.

In dating culture, negging is a term for a social manipulation tactic aimed at undermining a target's confidence by delivering backhanded compliments or mildly insulting remarks. The term emerged in online and pickup-artist communities in the early 2000s and is widely criticized as abusive or unethical.

Other uses include general shorthand for negative or negation in casual speech or notation, and as an abbreviation in various domains. The meaning of neg is therefore highly context dependent.