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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

Sep 7, 2025 · Meaning of the hyphen, including its placement on the keyboard, guidelines for hyphenation, and its use in contexts like programming and word processing.

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 …

Mar 15, 2025 · In this guide, we’ll explore how to use hyphens correctly, see examples of hyphen usage, and answer common questions about these helpful punctuation marks. What is a …

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 …