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noun

hyphen

Hyphen (noun) means the symbol "‐", typically used to join two or more words to form a compound term, or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line.

noun
1
The symbol "‐", typically used to join two or more words to form a compound term, or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line.
2
Something which links two things of greater significance than itself.
3
An enclosed walkway or passage that connects two buildings.
4
Someone who belongs to a marginalized subgroup, and can therefore described by a hyphenated term, such as "German-American", "female-academic", etc.
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Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin hyphen, from Ancient Greek ῠ̔φέν (hŭphén, “in one, as a single word”), univerbation of ῠ̔φ’ ἕν (hŭph’ hén, “under one”), from ῠ̔πο- (hŭpo-, “under”) + ἕν (hén, “one”), neuter of εἷς (heîs, “one”).

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of hyphen?

"hyphen" (noun) means the symbol "‐", typically used to join two or more words to form a compound term, or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line.

What are the different meanings of hyphen?

"hyphen" has 3 main meanings: 1. The symbol "‐", typically used to join two or more words to form a compound term, or to indicate that a word has been split at the end of a line; 2. Something which links two things of greater significance than itself; 3. An enclosed walkway or passage that connects two buildings.

Definitions from wiktionary, CC BY-SA · etymology from Wiktionary