# std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest

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< cpp‎ | types‎ | numeric limits

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 (since C++20) | ​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

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

### Example

Demonstrates min(), max(), and `lowest()` for floating-point types:

Run this code

    #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());
    }

Output:

    std::numeric_limits<T>::min():
    	float: 1.17549e-38 or 0x1p-126
    	double: 2.22507e-308 or 0x1p-1022
    	long double: 3.3621e-4932 or 0x8p-16385
    std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():
    	float: -3.40282e+38 or -0x1.fffffep+127
    	double: -1.79769e+308 or -0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023
    	long double: -1.18973e+4932 or -0xf.fffffffffffffffp+16380
    std::numeric_limits<T>::max():
    	float: 3.40282e+38 or 0x1.fffffep+127
    	double: 1.79769e+308 or 0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023
    	long double: 1.18973e+4932 or 0xf.fffffffffffffffp+16380

### See also

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)

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