hyphen
Compound word link
A hyphen is the short horizontal mark (-) used to join words or parts of words.
Compound adjectives before nouns often take hyphens: a well-known author, a five-year-old child.
Hyphens connect prefixes to roots in some formations: self-aware, ex-husband.
They also divide words at line breaks.
Unlike the longer dash, hyphens link rather than separate.
Connect or enlist
- linkPoint of connection
- bridgeStructure spanning an obstacle
- uniteBring together as one
- coupleTwo linked together
attach · bond · tie · splice · fuse · connect · yoke · binding
Quick burst or pinch
- en-dashMidlength horizontal stroke
- em-dashWide horizontal punctuation mark
- typesettingArranging text for print
- formattingStructuring visual presentation
typography · spelling · grammar · syntax · discretionary · line-break · justification · kerning
Subtraction symbol
- subtractRemove from a sum
- negativeOpposite of affirmative
- deductSubtract from a total
- lessA smaller amount
take-away · difference · arithmetic · mathematical · notation · sign · symbol · operation
Word combining two others
- blendCombine into mixture
- fusionJoining into unity
- amalgamationUniting into one
- double-barreledHaving two parallel tubes
two-part · combined · joined · phrasal · modifier · attributive · prefix · suffix
Separation into parts
- segmentationDivision into sections
- partitionBarrier separating spaces
- separationState of being apart
- breakingComing apart suddenly
wrapping · overflow · continuation · carryover · runover
join
Connect or enlist
couple · attach · bond · tie · splice · fuse · connect · yoke · binding · junction
dash
Quick burst or pinch
- en-dashMidlength horizontal stroke
- em-dashWide horizontal punctuation mark
- typesettingArranging text for print
formatting · typography · spelling · grammar · syntax · discretionary · line-break · justification · kerning · typeset
minus
Subtraction symbol
less · take-away · difference · arithmetic · mathematical · notation · sign · symbol · operation
portmanteau
Word combining two others
- blendCombine into mixture
- fusionJoining into unity
- amalgamationUniting into one
double-barreled · two-part · combined · joined · phrasal · modifier · attributive · prefix · suffix · word-formation
split
Separation into parts
- segmentationDivision into sections
- partitionBarrier separating spaces
- separationState of being apart
breaking · wrapping · overflow · continuation · carryover · runover
- punctuationperiod, comma, colon, apostrophe, semicolon
- dashesem dash, en dash, mad dash, sprint
- grammar termsnoun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun
- ASCII characterscomma, period, space, question mark, exclamation mark
- Keyboard Charactersa, d, e, h, q
- Typographical Symbolscomma, period, colon, semicolon, exclamation mark
hyphenspace
Unoccupied area or interval
em dash · blank · separator · word break · separation
- hyphenated identityCombined ancestry descriptor
- soft hyphenConditional word-break marker
hyphenate, hyphens, hyphenation, hyphenated, hyphenating, unhyphenated, hyphenates, hyphenations