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, adjectiveWords nearby hyphen
hypethral,
hypha,
hyphedonia,
hyphema,
hyphemia,
hyphen,
hyphen help,
hyphenate,
hyphenated,
hyphenize,
hyphidrosis
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.