Hyphen Definition

hīfən

hyphens

noun

hyphens

A mark (-) used between the parts of a compound word or the syllables of a divided word, as at the end of a line.

Webster's New World

(figuratively) Something that links two more consequential things.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

verb

hyphens

To hyphenate.

American Heritage

Webster's New World

(dated) To separate or punctuate with a hyphen; to hyphenate.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

pronoun

(colloquial) Used to refer to a person with a hyphenated name.

Wiktionary

conjuntion

Used to emphasize the coordinating function usually indicated by the punctuation "-".

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Hyphen

Singular:

hyphen

Plural:

hyphens

Late Latin from Greek huphen a sign indicating a compound or two words which are to be read as one from huph' hen in one hupo under hypo– hen neuter of heis one sem-¹ in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Late Latin, from Ancient Greek ὑφέν (hyphen, “together”), contracted from ὑφ' ἕν (hyph' hen, “under one”), from ὑπό (hypo, “under”) + ἕν (hen, “one”), neuter of εἷς (heis, “one”).

From Wiktionary