Hyphen use While we said above that the em dash, also called the “common dash,” is the most common of the true dashes, hyphens show up more frequently in text.

The character most often used to represent a hyphen (and the one produced by the key on a keyboard) is called the "hyphen-minus" in the Unicode specification because it is also used as …

Jan 16, 2024 · But when you’re not sure whether a compound word should have a hyphen or not, check a dictionary or style guide. Hyphenated words tend to become closed compounds …

Mar 11, 2022 · In writing, we use a lot of compound words. Compound words include nouns like president-elect and sister-in-law, verbs like back-paddle and flash-freeze, and adjectives like …

Mar 6, 2025 · A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to join two or more words or parts of words together. It helps clarify the meaning of compound terms, word breaks, and numbers.

Nov 12, 2025 · The hyphen’s lineage is traced to a punctuation mark created by Dionysius Thrax, a Classical Greek grammarian who flourished in the late Hellenistic period when literary …

Video gamer is clear without a hyphen, although some writers might prefer to hyphenate it. Writers using familiar compound verbs and nouns should consult a dictionary or look online to …

Compounding is obviously in a state of flux, and authorities do not always agree in all cases, but the uses of the hyphen offered here are generally agreed upon.

Jul 10, 2025 · A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that connects two or more words together to form a single compound word or to link related words. It is distinct from other similar-looking …

For most writers, the hyphen’s primary function is the formation of certain compound terms. The hyphen is also used for word division, which is briefly explained here.