Minus Sign HTML entity −

− is the HTML entity for Minus Sign − (U+2212). Copy the decimal − and hex − codes plus CSS, JavaScript, Python and URL escapes.

Entity: −
Code point: U+2212
Unicode name: MINUS SIGN
Block: Mathematical Operators
Category: Math symbol (Sm)
Since: Unicode 1.1
Defined in: HTML 4.01 and HTML5

Codes to copy

HTML named	`−`Works in HTML; in XML only & < > " ' are predefined.
HTML decimal	`−`Works in HTML and XML.
HTML hex	`−`Works in HTML and XML.
CSS	`content: "\2212";`In a stylesheet, for ::before and ::after.
JavaScript	`"\u2212"`Also valid in JSON.
Python	`"\u2212"`Python 3 string literal.
Python by name	`"\N{MINUS SIGN}"`Readable alternative using the Unicode name.
URL	`%E2%88%92`Percent-encoded UTF-8 bytes, for a path or query value.
UTF-8 bytes	`E2 88 92`3 bytes.
UTF-16	`2212`1 code unit, which is what JavaScript length counts.

When to use it

The true minus sign is as wide as the plus sign and sits at the same height, while the keyboard hyphen-minus is shorter and lower. Use − for negative numbers in typeset text and tables so columns of figures line up.

The name dates from HTML 4, so it works in every browser and in old email clients.

More maths operators

All maths operators · Every HTML entity · Encode or decode text

Source: the WHATWG HTML Standard list of named character references and the Unicode Character Database (Unicode 18.0).