hyphenated American

noun

A U.S. American with an ethnicity commonly written in hyphenated form, such as an African-American or Irish-American, emphasizing their difference from their unhyphenated compatriots.

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Meanings

nounhyphenated American (plural hyphenated Americans)

plural hyphenated Americans

  1. derogatorysometimesA U.S. American with an ethnicity commonly written in hyphenated form, such as an African-American or Irish-American, emphasizing their difference from their unhyphenated compatriots.

Origin

In use since the last decade of the 19th century.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hyphenated American. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyphenated%20American

MLA

“hyphenated American.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyphenated%20American. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hyphenated American,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyphenated%20American.

Source: hyphenated American on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.