hyphen

[ hahy-fuh n ]
/ ˈhaɪ fən /

noun

a short line (-) used to connect the parts of a compound word or the parts of a word divided for any purpose.

verb (used with object)

Origin of hyphen

1595–1605; < Late Latin < Greek hyphén (adv.) together, derivative of hyph' hén (prepositional phrase), equivalent to hyp(ó) under (see hypo-) + hén, neuter of heîs one

OTHER WORDS FROM hyphen

hy·phen·ic [hahy-fen-ik] /haɪˈfɛn ɪk/, adjective de·hy·phen, verb (used with object) un·hy·phened, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for hyphen

British Dictionary definitions for hyphen

hyphen
/ (ˈhaɪfən) /

noun

the punctuation mark (-), used to separate the parts of some compound words, to link the words of a phrase, and between syllables of a word split between two consecutive lines of writing or printing

verb

(tr) another word for hyphenate

Word Origin for hyphen

C17: from Late Latin (meaning: the combining of two words), from Greek huphen (adv) together, from hypo- + heis one

Cultural definitions for hyphen

hyphen

A punctuation mark (-) used in some compound words, such as self-motivation, seventy-five, and mother-in-law. A hyphen is also used to divide a word at the end of a line of type. Hyphens may appear only between syllables. Thus com-pound is properly hyphenated, but compo-und is not.