460:
942:
277:
are permanent compounds, and for these, the dictionary's hyphenation should be followed even when the compound adjective follows a noun. According to some guides, hyphens are unnecessary in familiar compounds used as adjectives "where no ambiguity could result", while other guides suggest using
244:
between each word, subject to certain exceptions. Hyphens are used in this way to prevent confusion; without their use, a reader might interpret the words separately, rather than as a phrase. Hyphens join the relevant words into a single idea, a compound adjective.
351:
in a compound modifier is generally not accompanied by a hyphen. Where both (or all) of the words in a compound modifier are nouns, it is seen as not necessary to hyphenate them, as misunderstanding is unlikely.
661:
Hyphenation. Compound words take many forms. The dictionary is an excellent guide for such decisions. When a compound can be found in the dictionary, its usage is established and it is known as a permanent
691:
In general, Chicago prefers a spare hyphenation style: if no suitable example or analogy can be found either in this section or in the dictionary, hyphenate only if doing so will aid readability
340:. If the compound modifier that would otherwise be hyphenated is changed to a post-modifier—one which is located after the modified noun phrase—then the hyphen is conventionally not necessary:
310:(if not in the technical sense, then at least in the sense of the intended meaning), showing that it is intended to modify the adjective that it precedes and so not requiring hyphenation.
876:, to show how "when a compound noun is an element of a phrasal adjective, the entire compound noun must be hyphenated to clarify the relationship among the words." See:
911:
273:
Major style guides advise consulting a dictionary to determine whether a compound adjective should be hyphenated; compounds entered as dictionary
742:
713:
684:
654:
703:
778:
255:
When a numeral and a noun are used in a compound modifier that precedes a noun, the noun takes the singular form. For example, the
70:. The punctuation of compound modifiers in English depends on their grammatical role. Attributive compounds—modifiers within the
47:
and can be used in combination with other modifiers. (In the preceding sentence, "single-word" is itself a compound modifier.)
720:
Permanent compound adjectives are usually written as they appear in the dictionary even when they follow the noun they modify
932:
891:
872:
43:
words: that is, two or more words that collectively modify a noun. Compound modifiers are grammatically equivalent to
429:
962:
821:
501:
Hungarian orthography describes three types of this modification in spelling, as described in the main article.
82:
are typically not (if they are temporary compounds), unless they are permanent compounds attested as dictionary
967:
600:
169:
131:
523:
785:
a compound expression preceding the noun is generally hyphenated when it forms a unit modifying the noun
496:
40:
259:
was a "12-furlong race" and an "eight-horse race", not a "12-furlongs race" or an "eight-horses race".
435:
44:
510:
256:
79:
732:
674:
774:
738:
709:
680:
650:
236:
Conventionally, and with the support of modern writing guides, compound modifiers that appear
32:
946:
374:
362:
307:
268:
36:
59:
119:
846:
625:
459:
425:
may be used for attributive compounds to enhance readability and eliminate ambiguity.
956:
796:
537:
281:
It may be appropriate to distinguish between compound modifiers whose adverb has the
127:
924:
858:
516:
214:
530:
526:
213:
sequences is to clearly distinguish the usage of an attributive adjective and a
103:
71:
941:
248:
A compound modifier that is spaced rather than hyphenated is referred to as an
50:
The constituents of compound modifiers need not be adjectives; combinations of
55:
630:
220:
95:
808:
332:
suffix therefore commonly take a hyphen. For example, one could speak of a
412:, a controversy occurring during the halftime of a college-football match)
274:
164:
83:
422:
278:
hyphens "generally" in such compounds used as adjectives before nouns.
186:
282:
241:
145:
Whether a word sequence such as "heavy + metal + detector" implies a
75:
402:, which could be interpreted as there being no liability protection)
737:(16th ed.). University of Chicago Press. 2010. section 7.80.
679:(16th ed.). University of Chicago Press. 2010. section 7.85.
649:(6th ed.). American Psychological Association. section 4.13.
286:
134:
absent an accompanying adjective. In the latter example, however,
370:, which could be interpreted as a man eating the meat of a shark)
184:, without the hyphen, refers to a metal detector that is heavy.
99:
51:
454:
328:
can commonly be used as adjectives; these adverbs without the
392:, which could be interpreted as a long contract about a term)
16:
Compound of two or more words that collectively modify a noun
647:
Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association
515:
Japanese adjectives can compound. This is quite common for
382:, which could be interpreted as a goose chase that is wild)
225:
unequivocally employs a compound adjective to describe a
176:
functions as a compound adjective that modifies the noun
138:
functions as a compound adjective that modifies the noun
471:
114:. The former example contains only the bare adjective
930:
306:
suffix on an adverb allows readers to understand its
269:
English compound § Hyphenated compound modifiers
914:, Writing Center at Concordia University in St. Paul
190:
is a bare adjective that modifies the compound noun
497:
Hungarian orthography § Three "mobility rules"
417:
Examples using an en dash for attributive compounds
118:to describe a device that is properly written as
899:The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual,
705:Merriam-Webster's Manual for Writers and Editors
560:
541:
901:Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. (1992)
567:
548:
8:
298:, and those whose adverb does not, such as
153:depends on the punctuation. For instance,
895:, 15th ed. 2003, Clause 5.92, p. 171
122:; the latter example contains the phrase
771:New Hart's Rules: The Oxford Style Guide
937:
773:. Oxford University Press. p. 59.
749:Where no ambiguity could result, as in
591:
440:The non–San Francisco part of the world
529:, while it is relatively uncommon for
708:. Merriam Webster. 1998. p. 73.
410:college-football halftime controversy
406:College-football-halftime controversy
161:can refer to quite different things:
78:, whereas the same compounds used as
7:
912:Compound Adjectives and Hyphenation
624:Kramer, Lindsay (August 18, 2021).
826:Northeastern University Guidelines
232:Hyphenation of elements in English
205:A strategy to avoid conflation of
14:
809:Guardian and Observer Style Guide
940:
645:VandenBos, Gary R., ed. (2010).
601:"Hyphens in compound adjectives"
522:, which function essentially as
458:
94:Words that function as compound
626:"What Are Compound Adjectives?"
553:, interesting) "face-whitening"
536:, and is much less common than
240:a noun phrase should include a
227:weighty detector made of metal.
130:that is ordinarily rendered as
211:bare adjective + compound noun
200:bare adjective + compound noun
168:implies a device that detects
151:bare adjective + compound noun
62:are also common. For example,
1:
751:public welfare administration
870:This example was taken from
757:, hyphenation is unnecessary
106:. Take the English examples
892:The Chicago Manual of Style
881:(fifteenth ed.). 2003.
879:The Chicago Manual of Style
873:The Chicago Manual of Style
797:Hyphens – Punctuation Rules
734:The Chicago Manual of Style
676:The Chicago Manual of Style
561:
542:
318:are unambiguously adverbs.
984:
822:"Spelling and Hyphenation"
540:. Common examples include
508:
494:
266:
217:. Accordingly, the phrase
828:. Northeastern University
769:Waddingham, Anne (2014).
568:
549:
443:The post–World War II era
400:zero liability protection
396:Zero-liability protection
342:the actress is well known
207:compound adjective + noun
147:compound adjective + noun
811:(see section on adverbs)
755:graduate student housing
605:www.grammar-monster.com
538:Japanese compound verbs
321:Other adverbs (such as
849:, DailyWritingTips.com
572:, sly) "crafty-clever"
267:Further information:
45:single-word modifiers
436:New York–style pizza
338:little-known actress
196:heavy metal detector
182:heavy metal detector
159:heavy metal detector
155:heavy-metal detector
112:heavy-metal detector
108:heavy metal detector
511:Japanese adjectives
257:2021 Belmont Stakes
90:Compound adjectives
925:Compound Modifiers
859:Compound Modifiers
847:Compound Modifiers
578:-adjective stem +
470:. You can help by
390:long term contract
386:Long-term contract
347:Finally, the word
334:well-known actress
64:man-eating (shark)
25:compound adjective
799:, GrammarBook.com
744:978-0-226-10420-1
715:978-0-87779-622-0
686:978-0-226-10420-1
656:978-1-4338-0559-2
488:
487:
446:Pre–Civil War era
33:adjectival phrase
29:phrasal adjective
21:compound modifier
975:
963:English language
945:
944:
936:
883:
882:
868:
862:
856:
850:
844:
838:
837:
835:
833:
818:
812:
806:
800:
794:
788:
787:
766:
760:
759:
729:
723:
722:
700:
694:
693:
671:
665:
664:
642:
636:
635:
621:
615:
614:
612:
611:
599:Shrives, Craig.
596:
573:
571:
570:
564:
559:-adjective) and
554:
552:
551:
545:
483:
480:
462:
455:
380:wild goose chase
375:Wild-goose chase
368:man eating shark
363:Man-eating shark
327:
308:lexical category
180:). By contrast,
68:one-way (street)
983:
982:
978:
977:
976:
974:
973:
972:
968:English grammar
953:
952:
951:
939:
931:
921:
908:
906:Further reading
887:
886:
877:
869:
865:
857:
853:
845:
841:
831:
829:
820:
819:
815:
807:
803:
795:
791:
781:
768:
767:
763:
745:
731:
730:
726:
716:
702:
701:
697:
687:
673:
672:
668:
657:
644:
643:
639:
623:
622:
618:
609:
607:
598:
597:
593:
588:
565:
546:
513:
507:
499:
493:
484:
478:
475:
468:needs expansion
453:
451:Other languages
419:
408:(as opposed to
398:(as opposed to
388:(as opposed to
378:(as opposed to
366:(as opposed to
358:
325:
271:
265:
234:
92:
74:—are typically
60:parts of speech
39:of two or more
23:(also called a
17:
12:
11:
5:
981:
979:
971:
970:
965:
955:
954:
950:
949:
929:
928:
927:at writing.com
920:
919:External links
917:
916:
915:
907:
904:
903:
902:
896:
885:
884:
863:
851:
839:
813:
801:
789:
779:
761:
743:
724:
714:
695:
685:
666:
655:
637:
616:
590:
589:
587:
584:
562:zuru-gashiko-i
509:Main article:
506:
503:
495:Main article:
492:
489:
486:
485:
465:
463:
452:
449:
448:
447:
444:
441:
438:
433:
432:–winning novel
430:Pulitzer Prize
418:
415:
414:
413:
403:
393:
383:
371:
357:
354:
264:
261:
251:
233:
230:
192:metal detector
120:metal detector
91:
88:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
980:
969:
966:
964:
961:
960:
958:
948:
943:
938:
934:
926:
923:
922:
918:
913:
910:
909:
905:
900:
897:
894:
893:
889:
888:
880:
875:
874:
867:
864:
861:, Writing.com
860:
855:
852:
848:
843:
840:
827:
823:
817:
814:
810:
805:
802:
798:
793:
790:
786:
782:
780:9780199570027
776:
772:
765:
762:
758:
756:
752:
746:
740:
736:
735:
728:
725:
721:
717:
711:
707:
706:
699:
696:
692:
688:
682:
678:
677:
670:
667:
663:
658:
652:
648:
641:
638:
633:
632:
627:
620:
617:
606:
602:
595:
592:
585:
583:
582:-adjective).
581:
577:
563:
558:
544:
539:
535:
533:
528:
525:
521:
519:
512:
504:
502:
498:
490:
482:
473:
469:
466:This section
464:
461:
457:
456:
450:
445:
442:
439:
437:
434:
431:
428:
427:
426:
424:
416:
411:
407:
404:
401:
397:
394:
391:
387:
384:
381:
377:
376:
372:
369:
365:
364:
360:
359:
355:
353:
350:
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
324:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
288:
284:
279:
276:
270:
262:
260:
258:
253:
250:open compound
249:
246:
243:
239:
231:
229:
228:
224:
222:
216:
212:
208:
203:
201:
197:
193:
189:
188:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
166:
160:
156:
152:
148:
143:
141:
137:
133:
129:
128:compound noun
126:, which is a
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
98:may modify a
97:
89:
87:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
48:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
898:
890:
878:
871:
866:
854:
842:
830:. Retrieved
825:
816:
804:
792:
784:
770:
764:
754:
750:
748:
733:
727:
719:
704:
698:
690:
675:
669:
660:
646:
640:
629:
619:
608:. Retrieved
604:
594:
579:
575:
556:
531:
527:noun phrases
517:
514:
500:
476:
472:adding to it
467:
420:
409:
405:
399:
395:
389:
385:
379:
373:
367:
361:
348:
346:
341:
337:
333:
329:
322:
320:
315:
311:
303:
299:
295:
291:
285:
280:
272:
254:
247:
237:
235:
226:
218:
215:noun adjunct
210:
206:
204:
199:
195:
191:
185:
181:
177:
173:
170:heavy metals
163:heavy-metal
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
144:
139:
135:
123:
115:
111:
107:
93:
67:
63:
58:, and other
49:
28:
24:
20:
18:
543:omo-shiro-i
534:-adjectives
524:attributive
520:-adjectives
174:heavy-metal
136:heavy-metal
132:heavy metal
124:heavy-metal
104:noun phrase
72:noun phrase
56:determiners
41:attributive
957:Categories
610:2018-07-09
586:References
290:, such as
263:Exceptions
202:sequence.
96:adjectives
80:predicates
76:hyphenated
947:Languages
832:March 25,
662:compound.
631:Grammarly
491:Hungarian
275:headwords
172:(wherein
84:headwords
555:(noun +
505:Japanese
479:May 2013
356:Examples
223:detector
221:metallic
194:. Thus,
178:detector
165:detector
140:detector
37:compound
423:en dash
312:Quickly
292:quickly
209:versus
35:) is a
933:Portal
777:
741:
712:
683:
653:
302:. The
283:suffix
242:hyphen
238:before
219:heavy
336:or a
326:)
316:badly
296:badly
198:is a
187:Heavy
116:heavy
102:or a
52:nouns
31:, or
834:2011
775:ISBN
739:ISBN
710:ISBN
681:ISBN
651:ISBN
349:very
323:well
314:and
300:well
294:and
157:and
110:and
100:noun
66:and
753:or
569:狡賢い
550:面白い
474:.
421:An
330:-ly
304:-ly
287:-ly
149:or
959::
824:.
783:.
747:.
718:.
689:.
659:.
628:.
603:.
518:na
344:.
252:.
142:.
86:.
54:,
27:,
19:A
935::
836:.
634:.
613:.
580:i
576:i
574:(
566:(
557:i
547:(
532:i
481:)
477:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.