Definition of hyphen

The origin of the word "hyphen" can be traced back to the ancient Greek language. In Greek, the word "hyphen" literally means "under dash" or "under bar." The Greek word simply stemmed from "hupo," which means "under" or "below," combined with "fen," which means "slash" or "bar." The word for hyphen first appeared in the English language during the late 18th century. At that time, hyphens were commonly used in British printing to join two words together, such as "self-portrait" or "well-read." The hyphen was used to indicate that the two words were being used as a single concept or idea. The word "hyphen" itself entered the English language during the 19th century, although it was not widely used until much later. The term "hyphen" was likely coined as a way to describe the small line that was used to join two words together, much as a similar line is used to join two minutes on a clock face or two hours on a map. Today, the hyphen is used in English grammar and typography to join words together, either as a single concept or to add clarity to a sentence. Its role in language has had a lasting impact on the English language, as it allows writers and typographers to join words together in a way that conveys meaning and makes text easier to read and understand.