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Definition of hyphenation

hyphenation

/ˌhaɪ.fəˈneɪ.ʃən/
hy · phen · a · tion
Plural:hyphenations
•
Adjective:hyphenated
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hyphenation Lexical Profile

hyphenation Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The act or process of joining words or dividing a word into syllables using a hyphen, especially at the end of a line of text.

Example

"Enabling automatic hyphenation in the word processor helped eliminate the awkward gaps between words in the narrow columns."

2

The specific way in which a word or compound term is divided or joined with hyphens.

Example

"Writers often consult a dictionary to verify the standard hyphenation of compound adjectives."

• Rhymes for hyphenation

• Nearby Words

hyphen
hyphenate
hyphenated
hyphenation
hypnosis
hypnotherapist
hypnotherapy

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the verb 'hyphenate' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ion'. The root 'hyphen' comes via Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'huphen' ('together'), from 'hupo' ('under') and 'hen' ('one').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hyphenation. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hyphenation
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