Should Postwar Be Hyphenated?

The Oxford Dictionary tells me the British way is post-war. That's fine, except that I don't like hyphens if you can get rid of them and the word flows better. A hyphen is like a stutter in the middle of a word. In this case, it's not needed.

Is postwar hyphenated?

According to traditional grammar and spelling, it should be post-war because an adjective and a noun have been joined to create a new adjective. If you want to run the two words together without a hyphen, the spelling police will not pull you over and give you a ticket.

Are pre and post hyphenated?

In most instances, a hyphen is not needed to connect the prefixes post and pre to words. Samantha and Rick attended prenatal classes before the birth of their first child. Enrolling in postsecondary education can lead to a brighter future.

Robert Thorne

Robert Thorne

Automotive & Future Transportation Editor

Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.