Definition of hyphen
: a punctuation mark - used especially to divide or to compound words, word elements, or numbers
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Recent Examples of hyphen from the Web
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New to my keyboard, and still new-ish to the pages of the Globe, were words like cisgender (meaning not transgender) and bi-gender (which really needs a hyphen in print.
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In 2014 this group splintered from the CPN-M, which has a hyphen; both descend from the CPN (Maoist Centre), now a partner in Nepal’s coalition government.
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There aren’t enough hyphens in the English language to accurately connect all the money-making job titles that Diddy has occupied in his lifetime; his LinkedIn page would need its own Wikipedia page.
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Four years later, Semanick was 21 years old, and pre-hyphen.
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There’s space for every pronoun, every hyphen and every politically correct portmanteau.
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Several hits and business endeavors later, the famed producer has now added another hyphen to his name: Harvard University graduate.
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Avenue address relief nearly came in 1940, after the city’s postmaster suggested a three-part format familiar to residents of Queens: the cross street immediately to the south, then a hyphen, then a building number.
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The hyphen used to connect the two news organizations became an unpopular symbol.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hyphen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of hyphen
Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, from Greek, from hyph' hen under one, from hypo under + hen, neuter of heis one — more at up, same
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: circa 1620
in the meaning defined above
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First Known Use of hyphen
1814
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
HYPHEN Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of hyphen for English Language Learners
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: a punctuation mark - that is used to connect words or parts of words
HYPHEN Defined for Kids
Definition of hyphen for Students
: a mark - used to divide or to connect words or word elements
Learn More about hyphen
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See words that rhyme with hyphen Spanish Central: Translation of hyphen Nglish: Translation of hyphen for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hyphen for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hyphen
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