1. connects words or parts of words with a hyphen
Usage: third person singular present

1. words that are connected by hyphens
Usage: plural

Examples

• The editor hyphenates compound adjectives before nouns.
• She always hyphenates twenty-one when writing it out.
• The style guide hyphenates most prefixes with proper nouns.
• Common hyphenates include mother-in-law and well-being.
• These hyphenates should be written as single words instead.
• The dictionary lists several hyphenates under compound entries.