menos

Meaning

Adv

less (in lower degree)

Prep

1. except; but
2. minus (indicates subtraction)

Pron

fewer (a smaller number of), less (a smaller size or significance of)

Noun

minus sign (the symbol −)

Hyphenated as

me‧nos

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmẽ.nus/

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese menos, displacing collateral form mẽos, from Latin minus, neuter of minor (“lesser; smaller”), comparative of parvus (“small”).

Sentences

Se ao menos pudéssemos ver isso .

If only we could see that.

Não é mais limpo quem limpa mas quem menos estraga .

It is not the cleaner who cleans but the lesser who spoils.

O pão será a base dos pratos principais , a menos que esteja seco .

Bread will be the basis of main courses unless it is dry.

O barco avançou com menos velocidade para a água morta da gaivota .

The boat advanced with less speed into the gull's dead water.

Em termos gerais , o regulamento proposto é menos restritivo do que o atual .

In general terms, the proposed regulation is less restrictive than the current one.