hyphenate

[verb hahy-fuh-neyt; adjective, noun hahy-fuh-nit, -neyt]

verb (used with object), hy·phen·at·ed, hy·phen·at·ing.

to join by a hyphen.
to write or divide with a hyphen.

adjective

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

noun

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.

Origin of hyphenate

First recorded in 1850–55; hyphen + -ate¹

Related formshy·phen·a·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for hyphenation

Historical Examples of hyphenation

Hyphenation, and capitalisation of proper nouns, has been made consistent.
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained from the original.
Storyology
Benjamin Taylor
Variations of hyphenation from the original document have been retained.
Morals in Trade and Commerce
Frank B. Anderson
Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been retained as in the original.
The Present State of Virginia
Hugh Jones
Inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, and hyphenation have been retained from the original.
The Negro Farmer
Carl Kelsey

British Dictionary definitions for hyphenation

hyphenate

hyphen

verb

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

Derived Formshyphenation, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hyphenation

1881, from hyphen + -ation. Hyphenization is attested from 1851.

hyphenate

1881, from hyphen + -ate (2). The earlier verb was simply hyphen (1814). Related: Hyphenated; hyphenating. Hyphenated American is attested from 1889.