Try Wordnik, the new dictionary with more than 1.7 million words. Examples, pronunciations, and more!
Dictionary definition of “multi-hyphenate”

multi-hyphenate

n. a person who has (or is known for having) several main occupations. Also attrib. Subjects: , ,
Editorial Note: Thanks to Michael Hobson for suggesting today’s entry!
4 Comments | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend
Citations: 1969 Wayne Warga L.A. times (Mar. 30) “Pogostin: Gambling Man and Multi-Hyphenate”: Figuratively, he’s a multi-hyphenate. A television-writer-director-turrned-film-writer-director. 1986 Daniel Cariaga Los Angeles Times (Apr.6) “Smaller Deficit, Higher Hopes For Laco In 1986-87”: Heinz Holliger, that multi-hyphenate musician—he is, in the order of his fame, oboist, composer, conductor, flutist and pianist—spends an evening with followers of the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group. 1993 Usenet: rec.arts.movies (Dec. 31) “Ten Best Of 1993”: Multi-hyphenate Kenneth Branagh made it 2-for-2 in Shakespearean adaptations, forgoing HENRY V’s somber tone for a beautifully photographed and lavishly staged romp. 2004 Tasha G. Oren Global Currents (Sept. 25) p. 187: The brilliance of Asia’s foremost multitasking multihyphenates (actor-writer, director-producer, etc.)…is easily reduced to reductive caricature in the process of “translation.”
Posted 26 Jan 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend
Reader comments:
Although I know of no citations, it seems the term could also be applied to people of multiple ethnicities—for example, a Scotch-English-Mexican-Am erican.
by Mark 28 Jan 06, 0135 GMT
I did find a couple instances of similar hyphenates to what you describe, but only two—not nearly enough to substantiate an alternate sense for the term.
by Grant Barrett 28 Jan 06, 0221 GMT
Many moguls are considered multihyphenate. The term is a euphemism for a successful jack of all trades and can be applied not just in professional but also in personal life. I consider myself a multihypenate professionally on a small level in that I can pigeon hole what I do as a Consultant very easily. (See www.multihyphenate.com)Pe rsonally, I also consider myself a multihyphenate best explained by the logo at www.momsoup.com with additions of amateur artist along with other specific personality traits. To me everyone is a multihyphenate in their own way
by judy 21 Mar 07, 1156 GMT
oops, I meant to say that I CAN’T pigeon hole what I do as a Consultant very easily.
by judy 21 Mar 07, 1221 GMT

Leave a comment (must be approved by the moderator before it will appear).

Name (mandatory):

Email (mandatory):

Location (optional):

Your Web Site (optional):

Remember my personal information

Notify me, by email, of follow-up comments.

Recent Catchwords
nimbleton n. (11/6)
kitchen n. (11/6)
skuke n. (11/6)
parlor n. (11/6)
broccoli journalism n. (10/19)
strap hanging n. (10/8)
parclo n. (10/8)
Dipper n. (10/8)
jeggings n. (10/5)
dittoism n. (10/5)
crop n. (10/3)
sliming n. (10/3)
protestival n. (10/3)
excessing n. (10/3)
pencil top n. (10/3)
trophy jacket n. (10/3)
ball golf n. (10/3)
Scottish cringe n. (10/3)
bagel v. (9/30)
shake and bake n. (9/30)
 More catchwords...
Lexicographer's Rules
How much underworld slang is still used from 80 years ago? (10/27)
Remembering William Safire (9/27)
The elephant in the language (8/12)
Updates will continue to be slow for Double-Tongued (7/19)
Call of nature (7/1)
Feedburner URLs that have huge accidental traffic (6/16)
I held Samuel Johnson’s 1755 dictionary in my hands (6/9)
New: doors are open for Wordnik.com, a dictionary that aims to show all the words (6/8)
Boohoo, wah, & diddums: words of fake sympathy (6/3)
My book is now available at no cost as an e-book download (5/25)
 More blog entries...
Find A Word  »
 A   B   C   D   E 
 F   G   H   I   J 
 K   L   M   N   O 
 P   Q   R   S   T 
 U   V   W   X   Y 
 Z   0-9 
Search
Search Site

Google Site Search
Recent searches: meg… gob…
New Comments
Ben Zimmer commented on riffed (8/18)
Gregory Teague commented on Taig (8/13)
Ben Zimmer commented on single shot (8/9)
christymarx commented on heinie (8/6)
amy_lu commented on mouth-breather (7/19)
hawkoffee commented on Mortarville (7/8)
Featherwood0973 commented on featherwood (6/30)
garyvh commented on rexing (6/28)
JR commented on jam track (6/21)
ElasticMind commented on innerpreneur (6/20)
GlennT commented on fourwall (5/31)
RevRayGreen commented on medible (5/25)
OKSoldiers commented on Mortarville (5/21)
Lew Hollerbach commented on eyebrow window (4/24)
Ollie commented on rexing (4/22)
Subscribe to the RSS feed. • Subscribe to the mailing list. • Browse the archive. • Add to Technorati Favorites. • © 1999-2009 by Grant Barrett, Double-Tongued Dictionary, New York City.