Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To divide or connect (syllables, word elements, or names) with a hyphen.
  • noun One who performs more than one job or function.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Same as hyphen.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To break a word at the end of a line according to the hyphenation rules by adding a hyphen on the end of the line.
  • verb transitive To join words or syllables with a hyphen.
  • noun A person with multiple duties or abilities, such as "writer-director", "actor-model", or "singer-songwriter".

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb divide or connect with a hyphen

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • A colloquialism -- "hyphenate" -- has latterly grown up to meet the need of

    An Inquiry Into The Nature Of Peace And The Terms Of Its Perpetuation Thorstein Veblen 1893

  • Now Rhymes is what the industry calls hyphenate, a writer and a producer.

    CNN Transcript Nov 6, 2007 2007

  • Rimes is what the industry calls a hyphenate, a writer and a producer.

    CNN Transcript Nov 6, 2007 2007

  • Chinese subject under Manchu or Japanese rule; and as appears perhaps more perspicuously in the case of the "hyphenate" American citizen, whose formal allegiance is to the nation in whose land he prefers to live, all the while that his patriotic affection centers on his spiritual Fatherland in whose fortunes he has none but a non-resident interest.

    An Inquiry Into The Nature Of Peace And The Terms Of Its Perpetuation Thorstein Veblen 1893

  • This hyphenate adjective survives as well in the name of their language, but today “Old English” is preferred, in part because it was not used only by Angles and Saxons.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • It originally reflected how these many languages could be found in an area extending from the Indus River Valley (the Indo part of the hyphenate) across Europe (the European part).

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • This hyphenate adjective survives as well in the name of their language, but today “Old English” is preferred, in part because it was not used only by Angles and Saxons.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • It originally reflected how these many languages could be found in an area extending from the Indus River Valley (the Indo part of the hyphenate) across Europe (the European part).

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • Most recently the multi-hyphenate directed the pilot episode for the Showtime series “The Big C” and produced the 81st Annual Academy Awards telecast, hosted by Hugh Jackman.

    Twilight Lexicon » Full Press Release: Stephenie Meyer Named as Producer 2010

  • Fourth, there's story-and-gameplay, and I hyphenate like that because they really go hand-in-hand here.

    REVIEW: Batman: Arkham Asylum 2009

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