hyphenate

American  

[hahy-fuh-neyt, hahy-fuh-nit, -neyt] / ˈhaɪ fəˌneɪt, ˈhaɪ fə nɪt, -ˌneɪt /

verb (used with object)

hyphenated, hyphenating

1. to join by a hyphen.

2. to write or divide with a hyphen.

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adjective

1. of or relating to something of distinct form or origin that has been joined; connected by a hyphen.

noun

1. Informal. a person working or excelling in more than one craft or occupation.

   He's a film-industry hyphenate, usually listed as a writer-director-producer.

hyphenate British  

/ ˈhaɪfəˌneɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to separate (syllables, words, etc) with a hyphen

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Other Word Forms

• hyphenation noun

Etymology

Origin of hyphenate

First recorded in 1850–55; hyphen + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Hello Carolyn: Our son’s wife of several years chose to hyphenate our last name with her maiden name.

From Washington Post • Sep. 4, 2022

I know this very well, as I never changed my last name to my husband’s—nor did I hyphenate our two names.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2021

Some people on Twitter shared a clip of King interviewing Julia Louis-Dreyfus where he asked her about having a "man’s name," seemingly mistaking the hyphenate for a middle name.

From Fox News • Jan. 25, 2021

If this latecomer is worried about distinguishing herself from you, she can hyphenate her existing surname with your ex-husband’s or keep it as it is.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2020

Back then women didn’t keep their own names or hyphenate them.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson