std::numeric_limits::lowest (3) Linux Manual Page

std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest – std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest

Synopsis

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
// Run this code

#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

See also

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