A hyphen is the punctuation sign used to join words together to make a compound, as in 'left-handed'. People also use a hyphen to show that the rest of a word is on the next line.
English Easy Learning GrammarThe hyphen ( - )The hyphen joins words or parts of words. Hyphens are used at the ends of lines where a word has been split, to warn the readerthat the word continues ... Read more
hyphen in British English
(ˈhaɪfən)
noun
1.
the punctuation mark (-), used to separate the parts of some compound words, to link the words of a phrase, and between syllables of a word split between two consecutive lines of writing or printing
verb
2. (transitive) another word for hyphenate
Word origin
C17: from Late Latin (meaning: the combining of two words), from Greek huphen (adv) together, from hypo- + heis one
hyphen in American English
(ˈhaɪfən)
noun
1.
a mark (-) used between the parts of a compound word or the syllables of a divided word, as at the end of a line
verb transitive
2.
hyphenate
Word origin
LL < Gr hyphen (for hyph' hen), a hyphen, lit., under one, together, in one < hypo-, under + hen, neut. acc. of heis, one: for IE base see same
Examples of 'hyphen' in a sentence
hyphen
To be honest, we might be dealing with a hyphen situation here.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips HEAVEN, TEXAS (1995)
In other languages
hyphen
British English: hyphen /ˈhaɪfn/ NOUN
A hyphen is the punctuation sign (-) used to join words together.