hyphen Definition
a punctuation mark (-) used to join words or parts of words together to form a compound term or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line.
Using hyphen: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "hyphen" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The hyphen is used to connect two words to create a compound word.
Example
The word 'self-esteem' is written with a hyphen.
Example
The hyphen is also used to divide a word at the end of a line when there is not enough space for the whole word.
hyphen Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for hyphen
- dash
- minus sign
- connecting mark
Phrases with hyphen
double hyphen
two hyphens used together to indicate a range or to replace missing letters in a word
Example
The years 2010--2015 were a period of economic growth.
Example
She was about to speak when he cut her off--with a wave of his hand.
en dash
a shorter dash (–) used to indicate a range or connection between two things
Example
The event will take place on Monday–Friday.
Origins of hyphen
from Late Latin 'hyphen', from Ancient Greek 'huphen', meaning 'together, in one'
Summary: hyphen in Brief
A 'hyphen' [ˈhaɪfən] is a punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words together to form a compound term or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line. It is commonly used to create compound words like 'self-esteem,' and to divide words at the end of a line. Other related marks include the double hyphen, em dash, and en dash.
