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Webster 1913 Edition


Subtraction

Sub-trac′tion

,
Noun.
[L.
subtractio
a drawing back. See
Subtract
, and cf.
Substraction
.]
1.
The act or operation of subtracting or taking away a part.
2.
(Math.)
The taking of a lesser number or quantity from a greater of the same kind or denomination; an operation for finding the difference between two numbers or quantities.
3.
(Law)
The withdrawing or withholding from a person of some right to which he is entitled by law.
☞ Thus the subtraction of conjugal rights is when either the husband or wife withdraws from the other and lives separate without sufficient reason. The subtraction of a legacy is the withholding or detailing of it from the legatee by the executor. In like manner, the withholding of any service, rent, duty, or custom, is a subtraction, for which the law gives a remedy.
Blackstone.

Webster 1828 Edition


Subtraction

SUBTRAC'TION

,
Noun.
[L. subtractio.] The act or operation of taking a part from the rest.
1.
In arithmetic, the taking of a lesser number from a greater of the same kind or denomination; an operation by which is found the difference between two sums.

Definition 2024


subtraction

subtraction

English

Noun

subtraction (countable and uncountable, plural subtractions)

  1. (arithmetic, uncountable) The process of subtracting a number from another.
  2. (arithmetic, countable) A calculation involving subtracting.
    The teacher has set us ten subtractions to do by tomorrow.
  3. The removal of something.
    The subtraction of the wealth from the economy will result in recession.

Translations

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