hyphen

American  

[hahy-fuhn] / ˈhaɪ fən /

noun

hyphens plural

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

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verb (used with object)

hyphens, present (3rd person singular) hyphened, past participle, past hyphening present participle

1. hyphenate.

hyphen British  

/ ˈhaɪfən /

noun

1. 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

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verb

1. (tr) another word for hyphenate

hyphen Cultural  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hyphenic
  adjective
• unhyphened
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hyphens
  plural

Participles

• hyphening
  present
• hyphened
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hyphen
  simple
• hyphens
  simple
• have hyphened
  perfect
• has hyphened
  perfect
• am hyphening
  progressive
• are hyphening
  progressive
• is hyphening
  progressive
• have been hyphening
  perfect progressive
• has been hyphening
  perfect progressive

Past

• hyphened
  simple
• had hyphened
  perfect
• was hyphening
  progressive
• were hyphening
  progressive
• had been hyphening
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hyphen
  simple
• will have hyphened
  perfect
• will be hyphening
  progressive
• will have been hyphening
  perfect progressive

Etymology

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

Compare meaning

How does hyphen compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hyphen vs. em dash
• hyphen vs. en dash
• hyphen vs. semicolon

Explanation

When you're writing, a hyphen is useful for forming a compound word or separating the syllables of a word at the end of a line of text. The word merry-go-round uses two hyphens. Often, when you join shorter individual words into one more complicated, compound word, you use a hyphen. Words like twentieth-century, well-intentioned, and high-risk are examples of hyphenated compounds. Hyphen is a Greek word that means "mark joining two syllables or words," which most likely was originally used to describe the way words should be sung.

Example Sentences

Hyphen, a joint venture led by the Germany-based green energy group Enertrag, says Namibia has the "world class" solar and wind power potential needed for large-scale, competitive production.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

According to Toni Beukes - head of environment, social and governance for Hyphen - impact assessments are under way and the park is the best possible place for their plans.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

A major German renewables company, Enertrag, aims to build one of the world’s biggest green hydrogen plants, called Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, on the Atlantic coast of Namibia, Germany’s former colony in southwestern Africa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

Hyphen, a San Jose-based startup founded four years ago, created the Augmented Makeline.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024

Second, after five years of not speaking, of all the people in Shady Glen I had picked not Julio or Etta and certainly not Maya Hyphen Jade to speak to, but him.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

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