hyphenation

American  

[hahy-fuhn-ay-shuhn] / ˌhaɪ fənˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act, process, or result of joining words with a hyphen.

2. the act of identifying a person or thing as a hybrid by means of an expression or name that contains a hyphen.

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Explanation

Hyphenation is what you do when you use a dash-like punctuation mark to join two words into one or separate the syllables of a word. See the word dash-like in that previous sentence? It's formed using hyphenation. The process of using a hyphen, that short dash in compound words like dog-friendly, fast-acting, and well-known, is what hyphenation is all about. We also use hyphenation when we're writing and need to split a long word between lines, breaking it in half and adding a hyphen between complete syllables. The Greek root is hyphen, "mark joining two syllables or words."

Example Sentences

But she isn't the sort of person whose career is easily defined, at least without a lot of hyphenation.

From Golf Digest • Dec. 10, 2018

“This is what we strive for: To be accepted for our talent without categorization, without hyphenation, and until we get there, we do things like this,” said Phillips.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2017

But lately I encountered folk music only in hyphenation with some other genre like alternative, rock or country.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2015

Highsmith explains the use of hyphenation and justification settings in achieving justified text.

From Salon • Jun. 15, 2012

Inconsistent hyphenation of word, 'over-blowing' and 'overblowing' both present in original text.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by Fleming, John Ambrose