Hyphens

The Macquarie Dictionary is the preferred authority on whether a term in noun or verb form is run together, hyphenated or made into two words.

General rules:

• It is normal to insert a hyphen when the last vowel of the prefix is the same as the first letter of the root word, e.g. anti-intellectual, pre-eminent
• It is not used in common words such as coordinate, cooperate
• Doubling a vowel: usually a hyphen is used when a vowel is doubled as a result of adding a prefix e.g. re-apply, semi-invalid, pre-eminent
• Prefix plus a capital letter e.g. un-Australian, anti-French
• Prefix plus a date: post-2003, pre-2000, pre-July
• Hyphens are generally used in compound adjectives, e.g. a three-year degree, a five-week course, disease-free
• Where the compound adjective consists of an adverb plus adjective, hyphens are not used e.g. overanxious
• Do not start a list with a hyphen

(See the Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers for more detailed explanation.)

Updated: 26 April 2013