hyphen
|hy-phen|
/ˈhaɪ.fən/
a mark that joins
Etymology
'hyphen' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'huphén' (ὑφέν), where the root meant 'a band or bond, something that joins'.
'hyphen' passed into Late Latin and Medieval Latin (as 'hyphen' or similar forms), then into Old French and Middle English, eventually becoming the Modern English word 'hyphen'.
Initially in Greek it referred to a joining or bond; over time the sense narrowed to the written mark used to join words in modern English.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a short horizontal mark (-) used between parts of a word or between words to join them (e.g., in compound words or to indicate word breaks).
Use a hyphen to join the words in the compound adjective 'well-known'.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to join or separate words or parts of words with a hyphen; to insert a hyphen in writing. (Also expressed by the verb 'hyphenate'.)
Hyphen compound numbers like twenty-one and thirty-three.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/19 23:22