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In the early 20th century, the noun hyphenate referred to a resident or citizen of the U.S. whose recent foreign national origin caused others to question his or her patriotic loyalties - with or without there being just cause for that questioning. These hyphenates - the Irish-Americans, German-Americans, and others - were objects of suspicion. The hyphenates we're highlighting today are more often objects of admiration. Since around 1974, we've been referring to people with hyphens in their titles - producer-directors, for example, as hyphenates.
Examples of hyphenate in a Sentence
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Hax chat: Husband says hyphenating baby’s last name is confusing
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Opinion|The world has changed, and Trump needs a mulligan
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The life of two Boeing Starliner astronauts stuck indefinitely in space
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Olympic Ceremonies on the Seine were a daring feat.
—Jerry Brewer, Washington Post, 27 July 2024
Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024
Actors who sing, singers who act: Hollywood’s entertainment-industrial complex is strewn with false starts from would-be hyphenates tempted by success in one field to try their luck in another.
—Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hyphenate 
Dictionary Entries Near hyphenate
Cite this Entry
“Hyphenate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyphenate. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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