std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest

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::min() for floating-point types. Only meaningful for bounded types.

# Declarations

static constexpr T lowest() noexcept;

(since C++11)

# Notes

For every standard C++ floating-point type T std::numeric_limits::lowest() == -std::numeric_limits::max(), but this does not necessarily have to be the case for any third-party specialization.

# Example

#include <iostream>
#include <limits>
#include <string_view>
 
template<typename T>
void print_twice(std::string_view type, T value)
{
    std::cout << '\t' << type << ": "
              << std::defaultfloat << value << " or "
              << std::hexfloat << value << '\n';
}
 
int main()
{
    // min()
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::min():\n";
    print_twice("float", std::numeric_limits<float>::min());
    print_twice("double", std::numeric_limits<double>::min());
    print_twice("long double", std::numeric_limits<long double>::min());
 
    // lowest()
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():\n";
    print_twice("float", std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest());
    print_twice("double", std::numeric_limits<double>::lowest());
    print_twice("long double", std::numeric_limits<long double>::lowest());
 
    // max()
    std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::max():\n";
    print_twice("float", std::numeric_limits<float>::max());
    print_twice("double", std::numeric_limits<double>::max());
    print_twice("long double", std::numeric_limits<long double>::max());
}

# See also