AP Style Prefixes

For specific listings on commonly used prefixes, see the main AP Style page.

In AP Style, you generally do not hyphenate when using a prefix with a word starting with a consonant.

There are three constant rules for AP Style hyphenation, although they yield some exceptions to first-listed spellings in Webster’s New World College Dictionary.

  • Except for “cooperate” and “coordinate,” use a hyphen if the prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel.
  • Use a hyphen if the word that follows is capitalized.
  • Use a hyphen to join doubled prefixes: “sub-subparagraph.”

Leave a Comment