hyphenated compound noun

A hyphenated compound noun is formed by combining two or more words with a hyphen between them, creating a single word with a distinct meaning. These compounds function as a single unit, often with the first word modifying the second. For example, "mother-in-law" and "part-time" are hyphenated compound nouns. The use of hyphens can sometimes be fluid, with some compounds evolving from open or hyphenated forms to closed (single-word) forms over time as they become more common. Hyphens are often used when a compound phrase acts as a modifier before a noun, such as in "a science-fiction convention".123