word break

Meanings

nounword break (plural word breaks)

plural word breaks · alternative wordbreak · alternative word-break

usuallyA point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen: an intersyllabic division.
A word boundary, as operationally defined by either linguistics or computing.

Dutch woordafbreking

woordafbrekinga point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen

French coupure

coupurea point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen

German Worttrennung

Worttrennunga point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen

Hungarian elválasztás, szóelválasztás

elválasztása point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen
szóelválasztása point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen

Spanish salto de palabra, linde de palabra

salto de palabraa point in writing where a word is split so that part of it is relegated to the next line, typically at the end of a syllable and marked with a hyphen
linde de palabraa word boundary
limes de palabraa word boundary

Cite this entry

APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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