Mar 10, 2022 · A hyphenated word is a word that contains at least one hyphen. Typically, hyphenated words are compound words, which means the hyphen connects two or more words. There are other uses of hyphens that we use in writing that aren’t compound words.

A handy reference with examples of some common compound words that are hyphenated.

Nov 22, 2024 · A hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words. Hyphens are frequently used in compound modifiers when the modifier comes before the word it’s modifying. Hyphens are also used in compound words. A hyphen is often incorrectly used in place of an en dash (–) or em dash (—).

Should a compound word be two words, one word, or hyphenated? Here are some (loose) guidelines on using hyphens.

Jan 21, 2025 · Learn what compound words are and how to use them correctly. Explore the difference between open, closed, or hyphenated compound words with these examples.

Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex- (meaning former), self-, all-; with the suffix -elect; between a prefix and a capitalized word; and with figures or letters:

In grammar, the most common use of a hyphen is if two words function together as an adjective before the noun they modify. These words are called hyphenated adjectives. You may also use it to divide a word with inadequate space in the line for the whole word.