# hyphen

/ˈhaɪfən/ (US) · /hˈaɪfən/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hyphen
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a short line (-) you put between words or parts of words to join them, like in well-known.

For teachers: a short horizontal mark (-) used to join compound words or to divide a word at a line break. Distinct from the longer en dash and em dash in both form and function.

## Examples

- You need a hyphen in the word well-known.
- The teacher reminds the class to use a hyphen in mother-in-law on the worksheet.
- The copyeditor inserted a hyphen in long-term plan to clarify that long modifies term, not plan directly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.