std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest

static constexpr T lowest() noexcept;

(since C++11)

Returns the lowest finite value representable by the numeric type T, that is, a finite value x such that there is no other finite value y where y < x. This is different from std::numeric_limits<T>::min() for floating-point types. Only meaningful for bounded types.

Return value

`T`	`std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest()`
/* non-specialized */	`T();`
`bool`	`false`
`char`	`CHAR_MIN`
`signed char`	`SCHAR_MIN`
`unsigned char`	`0`
`wchar_t`	`WCHAR_MIN`
`char8_t`	`0`
`char16_t`	`0`
`char32_t`	`0`
`short`	`SHRT_MIN`
`unsigned short`	`0`
`int`	`INT_MIN`
`unsigned int`	`0`
`long`	`LONG_MIN`
`unsigned long`	`0`
`long long`	`LLONG_MIN`
`unsigned long long`	`0`
`float`	`-FLT_MAX`
`double`	`-DBL_MAX`
`long double`	`-LDBL_MAX`

Notes

While it's not true for fundamental C++ floating-point types, a third-party floating-point type T may exist such that std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest() != -std::numeric_limits<T>::max().

Example

Demonstrates min, max, and lowest for floating-point types.

#include <limits>
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
 
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::min():\n"
              << "\tfloat: " << std::numeric_limits<float>::min()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::min() << '\n'
              << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::min()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::min() << '\n';
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():\n"
              << "\tfloat: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest() << '\n'
              << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::lowest()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::lowest() << '\n';
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::max():\n"
              << "\tfloat: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::max()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::max() << '\n'
              << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::max()
              << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::max() << '\n';
}

Output:

std::numeric_limits<T>::min():
        float: 1.17549e-38 or 0x1p-126
        double: 2.22507e-308 or 0x1p-1022
std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():
        float: -3.40282e+38 or -0x1.fffffep+127
        double: -1.79769e+308 or -0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023
std::numeric_limits<T>::max():
        float: 3.40282e+38 or 0x1.fffffep+127
        double: 1.79769e+308 or 0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023

min [static]	returns the smallest finite value of the given type (public static member function)
denorm_min [static]	returns the smallest positive subnormal value of the given floating-point type (public static member function)
max [static]	returns the largest finite value of the given type (public static member function)

std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest

Return value

Notes

Example

See also