Word of the Day

: April 8, 2012

hyphenate

noun HYE-fuh-nayt

What It Means

: a person who performs more than one function (as a producer-director in filmmaking)

hyphenate in Context

Ever ambitious, Laura has proven herself to be an accomplished musical hyphenate - composing, performing, and recording all her own musical compositions.

"So who is [actor Justin Theroux]? It’s not surprising that the Hollywood hyphenate, who recently co-scripted this summer's movie version of the Broadway musical Rock of Ages, became a writer. His mother is a journalist and author; his uncle is acclaimed travel writer Paul Theroux." - From an article by David A. Keeps in New York Magazine, February 12, 2012

Did You Know?

In the early 20th century, the noun "hyphenate" referred to a resident or citizen of the U.S. whose recent foreign national origin caused others to question his or her patriotic loyalties - with or without there being just cause for that questioning. These hyphenates - the Irish-Americans, German-Americans, and others - were objects of suspicion. The hyphenates we're highlighting today are more often objects of admiration. Since around 1974, we've been referring to people with hyphens in their titles - producer-directors, for example, as "hyphenates."