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Webster 1913 Edition

Hyphen

Hy′phen

(hī′fĕn)
,
Noun.
[L., fr. Gr.
ὑφέν
, fr.
ὑφ ἕν
under one, into one, together, fr. [GREEK] under + [GREEK], neut. of [GREEK] one. See
Hypo-
.]
(Print.)
A mark or short dash, thus [-], placed at the end of a line which terminates with a syllable of a word, the remainder of which is carried to the next line; or between the parts of many a compound word; as in fine-leaved, clear-headed. It is also sometimes used to separate the syllables of words.

Hy′phen

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Hyphened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Hyphening
.]
To connect with, or separate by, a hyphen, as two words or the parts of a word.

Webster 1828 Edition

Hyphen

HY'PHEN

,
Noun.
[Gr. under one, or to one.] A mark or short line made between two words to show that they form a compound word,or are to be connected; as in pre-occupied; five-leafed; ink-stand. In writing and printing, the hyphen is used to connect the syllables of a divided word, and is placed after the syllable that closes a line, denoting the connection of that syllable or part of a word with the first syllable of the next line.

Definition 2024

hyphen

hyphen

English

Noun

hyphen ‎(plural hyphens)

  1. Symbol "‐", typically used to join two or more words to form a compound term, or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line.
  2. (figuratively) Something that links two more consequential things.

Usage notes

Because the original symbol "-" (technically the hyphen-minus) covered usages aside from hyphenation there have been additional subsequent symbols created for hyphenation needs. They include the "‐" (hyphen), ‑ (non-breaking hyphen) and the non-visible soft hyphen.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

hyphen ‎(third-person singular simple present hyphens, present participle hyphening, simple past and past participle hyphened)

  1. (transitive, dated) To separate or punctuate with a hyphen; to hyphenate.

Proper noun

hyphen

  1. (colloquial) Used to refer to a person with a hyphenated name

Conjunction

hyphen

  1. Used to emphasize the coordinating function usually indicated by the punctuation "-".
    • 1945, Robert Gessner, Youth is the time:
      You are sitting at the wrong table, if I may be so bold, among the misguided who believe in the mass murder of mentalities, otherwise known as the liberal arts hyphen vocational training hyphen education.
    • 1950, Cleveland Amory, Home town:
      Ax was now a Hollywood hyphenated man. An actor hyphen director hyphen writer.
    • 1983, Linda Crawford, Vanishing acts:
      He described himself as a poet-composer and actually said the word hyphen when he did so: "I'm a poet hyphen composer.
    • 1983, David S. Reiss, M*A*S*H: the exclusive, inside story of TV's most popular show:
      He is an actor (hyphen) writer (hyphen) director. In the fifth year of the series Alan Alda added another title to his growing list — that of creative consultant.
    • 2007, Stephen M. Murphy, What If Holden Caulfield Went to Law School?, page 65:
      One reason he has avoided reading legal thrillers is that “they seem really to have been written by lawyer-hyphen-authors.”

Synonyms

See also

Punctuation

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈi.fɛn/

Noun

hyphen m ‎(plural hyphens)

  1. Old symbol with the shape of a curved stroke, formerly used in French instead of the modern hyphen, with the same function.

Etymology

From Late Latin, from Ancient Greek ὑφέν ‎(huphén, “together”), contracted from ὑφ’ ἕν ‎(huph’ hén, “under one”), from ὑπό ‎(hupó, “under”) + ἕν ‎(hén, “one”), neuter of εἷς ‎(heîs, “one”).

Pronunciation

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