HTML Entity for Minus (−)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2212

HTML Entity for minus sign (U+2212) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Minus Entity?

Minus (−) is the mathematical minus sign at Unicode U+2212. HTML5 provides −. Prefer it in equations — it is not the same as the keyboard hyphen -.

Remember

Character     −
Unicode       U+2212
Named entity  &minus;
Hex entity    &#x2212;
Decimal       &#8722;
CSS escape    \2212

Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: −.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`−`	HTML markup (preferred for math)
Direct character	`−`	UTF-8 HTML text
Hex entity	`−`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`−`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2212`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Math subtraction and equations	`−` (clearest HTML form)
Need an entity in HTML source	`−`, `−`, or `−`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2212"`
Compound words or code operators	Use ASCII hyphen-minus `-`
Ranges (pages, dates)	Prefer En Dash — `–`

See it

Live Preview

Minus sign in math and comparison contexts.

Equation 10 − 3 = 7

Large glyph −

Named entity − → −

vs hyphen - − | -

With entities Named: − | Hex: − | Decimal: −

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows the minus sign with named, hex, decimal, and CSS forms. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS

Four ways to produce − in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Minus (−)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2212";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &minus;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2212;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8722;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Equation: 10 &minus; 3 = 7</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: − is the clearest HTML form and renders −.

2. Hex: U+2212 → − in HTML. Same result as the named entity.

3. Decimal: same code point as 8722 → −. Same result as hex and named.

4. CSS: use \2212 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that − after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with the minus sign.

Prefer

Use `−` for math

The named entity is clearer than numeric forms and matches mathematical typography.

Not -

Not the keyboard hyphen

ASCII - (U+002D) is for words and code. Math subtraction should use −.

Ranges

Not for page ranges

Write 10–20 with –, not with the minus sign.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2212 belongs in CSS. − / − / − belong in HTML.

Encoding

Declare UTF-8

If you type − directly, keep <meta charset="UTF-8"> so the file is not misread.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write −, not &minus.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Minus sign (U+2212) and its entity forms (−, −, −, CSS \\2212) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal support

Minus (−)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type − directly in UTF-8 HTML.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer IE 9+

Yes*

U+2212 / − Full support

Bottom line: Prefer − in mathematical HTML. Use \\2212 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: minus is U+2212 (decimal 8722).
HTML: prefer − (also − / −).
CSS: use \2212 inside content for generated text.
Do not confuse: keyboard - is hyphen-minus (U+002D).

One line: U+2212 → prefer − (also − / − / CSS \2212).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the minus sign in HTML using entities?

Use − (named), − (hex), − (decimal), or the CSS escape \2212 in the content property. All render −. Prefer − in mathematical HTML.

What is the Unicode value for the minus sign?

U+2212 (MINUS SIGN). Hex 2212, decimal 8722. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block.

Is there a named HTML entity for U+2212?

Yes. − is the HTML5 named entity for −.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for mathematical subtraction, negative numbers in math context, and scientific notation. Use the ASCII hyphen - for compound words and code.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2212?

HTML entities (−, −, or −) go in markup. The CSS escape \2212 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render −.

Is − the same as the keyboard hyphen -?

No. − is − (U+2212), the mathematical minus. The keyboard key produces - (U+002D, HYPHEN-MINUS), which is shorter and meant for text/code.

Did you know?

Minus sign is Unicode U+2212 (decimal 8722) — in Mathematical Operators. HTML5 provides −. Prefer it in math (10 − 3). The keyboard hyphen - is a different character (U+002D) used for words and code.

Next: Minus Plus

Continue with the minus-plus (∓) entity tutorial.

Minus-plus tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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