Hyphenate

Pronunciation: /ˈhaɪfəˌneɪt/

Definitions of hyphenate

verb to connect or separate with a hyphen

Example Sentences

A1 I hyphenate compound words like 'mother-in-law'.

A2 She needs to hyphenate the words in her essay according to the style guide.

B1 In this document, please remember to hyphenate the phone numbers.

B2 It is important to hyphenate correctly when writing technical terms.

C1 The editor suggested hyphenating the long compound adjective for clarity.

C2 As a professional writer, she always hyphenates words accurately in her manuscripts.

Examples of hyphenate in a Sentence

formal It is important to hyphenate compound modifiers to ensure clarity in writing.

informal Don't forget to hyphenate when you're writing compound words together.

slang I always get confused on when to hyphenate words - it's so annoying!

figurative In a way, hyphenating two words together can be seen as joining them in a special bond.

Grammatical Forms of hyphenate

• past tense: hyphenated
• plural: hyphenates
• comparative: more hyphenated
• superlative: most hyphenated
• present tense: hyphenate
• future tense: will hyphenate
• perfect tense: have hyphenated
• continuous tense: is hyphenating
• singular: hyphenate
• positive degree: hyphenate
• infinitive: to hyphenate
• gerund: hyphenating
• participle: hyphenating

Origin and Evolution of hyphenate

First Known Use: 1668 year

Language of Origin: Greek and Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'hyphenate' originated from the Greek word 'huphen' meaning 'together' or 'under', combined with the Latin suffix '-atus' indicating 'made' or 'done'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the context of grammar to describe the act of joining words with a hyphen for clarity or to form compound words. Over time, 'hyphenate' has evolved to also refer to individuals who have multiple roles or professions, such as a writer-director or actor-producer.