should 'anal retentive' be hyphenated?

2 ⤊

should 'anal retentive' be hyphenated?

this is really bugging the hell out of me........

2006-09-18 15:22:13 · 3 answers · asked by somepenguins 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay

3 answers

It depends on how it's used.

2006-09-18 15:25:02 · answer #1 · answered by LadyJag 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Exactly. If it is used as a collective adjective it should be hyphenated. As in "An anal-retentive ant is tense."

However, I would suggest the form "An anally retentive ant is tense"

2006-09-18 22:35:28 · answer #2 · answered by Grey Bear 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋

In your case, a definate MAYBE.
If you're gay, no, it's too worn out to retain anything...

2006-09-18 22:31:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋