Plus

in algebra, the affirmative or positive sign, +, signifying more or addition, or that the quantity following it is either to be considered as a positive or ailirmative quantity, or that it is to be added to the other quantities; s0 4 + 6 = 10, is read thus, 4 plus 6 is equal “to 10. See AFFIRMATIVE SIGN. The more early writers of algebra, as Lucas de Burgo, Cardan, Tartaglia, . wrote the word mostly at full length. Afterwards the word was contracted or abbreviated, using one or two of its first letters; which initial was, by the Germans we think, corrupted to the present character +; which was first used by Stifelius, printed in his Arithmetic,