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Should Second Largest be hyphenated?

Author

John Castro

Published Mar 08, 2026

Should Second Largest be hyphenated?

Contrary to other responses: A hyphen is required in "second-largest" if being used as a compound adjective, as in: "That is the second-largest pizza I have ever seen."

Regarding this, is second most hyphenated?

If you say, “You are the second-most active,” then that hyphenation is correct. However, if the whole thing is used as an adjective (“You are the second-most-active runner.”) then the whole thing should be hyphenated.

Also Know, should top 10 be hyphenated? Only hyphenate a construction like “top 10″ if it's lowercase and directly modifying a noun, like “he's a top-10 quarterback.” Otherwise, it's “He's one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the league.” If it follows the article “a,” that's a good indication you need to hyphenate.

In this manner, is third largest hyphenated?

a second- best decision third- largest town fourth- to- last contestant he arrived fourth to last Hyphenated before a noun, otherwise open.

Is highest ranking hyphenated?

When using high or low (or other adjectives) as part of a compound adjective before a noun, a hyphen should be inserted between high or low and the word that it modifies. Some examples of compound adjectives using high and low are high-level/low-level, high-income/low-income, and high-impact/low-impact.

Is 100 percent hyphenated?

(no hyphens because the word "percent" is followed by the adjective "loyal"?) 3. He was loyal, one hundred percent. 4.

Is Tri fold hyphenated?

This word can be hyphenated and contains 2 syllables as shown below.

Is second floor hyphenated?

Hyphenated: I live in a first-floor apartment. Do not hyphenate an adjective-noun combination when it appears after the word it describes. Not hyphenated: My apartment is on the first floor. If two or more compound adjectives have the same base, omit the base word in all but the last adjective, but keep the hyphen.

Is cutting edge hyphenated?

But there it is: “cutting-edge.” That phrasal adjective, with a hyphen, is permanent—it's in the dictionary—so hyphenate it before a noun, but again, per Chicago, it can be left open after the noun.

Is African American hyphen Chicago style?

The Chicago Manual of Style has not called for the hyphen for some years. The 17th edition explains: “Whether terms such as African American, Italian American, Chinese American, and the like should be spelled open or hyphenated has been the subject of considerable controversy.

Is mid 1900s hyphenated?

Because we wouldn't say "early-1900s," we wouldn't add the hyphen after "early" in "early to mid-1900s." "Mid," we're told by Burchfield, could stand by itself at one time, as in "mid air," which Fowler said should never be hyphenated; nowadays, however, it is always hyphenated, "mid-air." According to the Chicago

Is half mile hyphenated?

Hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun: a half-serious remark. Do not hyphenate such compounds when they follow a noun unless hyphenated in Webster's: He was only half serious. When half precedes a noun, of may be dropped: half an orange, half a mile, though half of an orange and half of a mile are not incorrect.

Is there a hyphen in nineteenth century?

The CMOS hyphenation guide has the following example: "late nineteenth-century politicians." But in the summary of the rule it also says that adjectival compounds are hyphenated before but not after a noun.

Is dark blue hyphenated?

If the blue is dark (or midnight), it is a color compound and can take a hyphen.

Does three thirty have a hyphen?

the three- thirty train a four o'clock train the 5:00 p.m. news Usually open; forms such as “three thirty,” “four twenty,” etc., are hyphenated before the noun. a high- quality alkylate a middle- class neighborhood the neighborhood is middle class Hyphenated before but not after a noun.

Is it nineteenth century or nineteenth century?

Nineteenth century, twentieth century; do not use 19th century, 20th century. Spell out numbers one through ten (one, two, etc.). Above ten, use number (65, 106, etc.) except when number is used at the beginning of a sentence.

Is light blue hyphenated?

Do not hyphenate compound color modifiers unless both elements are colors of equal value: blue-black sky, gray-green eyes, but bluish black sky, lemon yellow dress, jade green lake, cobalt blue dish, dark blue suit, white sand beaches. To avoid ambiguity, note: light-blue suit (color), light blue suit (weight).

Does quasi need a hyphen?

hyphens or not? quasi—as part of a compound noun, use separately; as adjective, use with hyphen: quasi scholar (noun), quasi-judicial (adj.)

Is socioeconomic hyphenated?

notes❯ In the current Concise Oxford English Dictionary, “macroeconomic” and “microeconomic” are solid but “socio-economic” is hyphenated .

How do you write mid twentieth century?

The hyphenated form lends itself better to compound modifiers, as in “mid-twentieth-century furniture.” So when the less common noun phrase is used, we prefer to retain the hyphen: “mid-twentieth century.” A similar logic has discouraged us from advising “midtwentieth century”—though we do recommend “midcentury.”

Is Fossil Fuel hyphenated?

Compound nouns appearing in Webster's and widely used do not need to be hyphenated when used as adjectives unless ambiguous. For example: polar bear, sea turtle, foreign exchange, income tax, real estate, fossil fuel. n.

Is longest serving hyphenated?

Hyphens help to avoid confusion. For the same reason, you should use a hyphen after other superlatives that can function as either adverbs or nouns, as in "best-selling book," "worst-performing stocks" and "longest-running musical."

Does at risk have a hyphen?

When used as a modifier before a noun, "at risk" is a compound adjective and should be hyphenated. When it is used after a noun, it is not hyphenated. Your usage is correct (according to CMOS).

Is grade level hyphenated?

Use a hyphen with a grade number when the ordinal form is used as a compound adjective before a noun. Otherwise, do not use a hyphen with a grade number. The first-grade students went on a field trip. The sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students go to a middle school.

Is up to date hyphenated?

When it comes after the noun, the compound adjective usually doesn't get a hyphen. Same goes for up to date – if it's before a noun it needs a hyphen. A document is up to date but it's an up-to-date document.

Is destress hyphenated?

To destress means to do something to become less stressed or anxious—to relax. It is sometimes spelled with a hyphen: de-stress. Both spellings can be used in other, more technical contexts in relation to other meanings of stress.

Is well made hyphenated?

The second is made up of words that are consistently hyphenated because they are standard expressions that designate single concepts. For example, well-appointed, well-founded and well-intentioned do not have the same meaning as appointed, founded, and intentioned.

Is well rounded hyphenated?

When the modifying phrase follows the noun, you need no hyphen: We offer a discount to a new customer. You do need a hyphen for well phrases, like well-pleaded complaint, well-known jurist, and well-rounded person.

Should high speed be hyphenated?

high speed vs. high-speed—Two words when used as a noun; hyphenated when used as an adjective. For example: “Sign up now and soar through the internet at a truly high speed.”