Do you need a hyphen in words beginning with anti?
In AP Style, you should hyphenate all words beginning with “anti,” except the following ones. All of the below words have specific meanings of their own.
- Antibiotic
- Antibody
- Anticlimax
- Antidepressant
- Antidote
- Antifreeze
- Antigen
- Antihistamine
- Antiknock
- Antimatter
- Antimony
- Antiparticle (And similar terms in physics such as antiproton)
- Antipasto
- Antiperspirant
- Antiphon
- Antiphony
- Antipollution
- Antipsychotic
- Antiseptic
- Antiserum
- Antithesis
- Antitoxin
- Antitrust
- Antitussive
This approach has been adopted in the interests of readability and easily remembered consistency.
In Webster’s New World College Dictionary, it is “anti-lock.” But you should also note that the AP Stylebook has the following words as exceptions to the Webster’s spelling.
- Anti-abortion
- Anti-aircraft
- Anti-bias
- Anti-inflation
- Anti-labor
- Anti-social
- Anti-war
Also, see Antichrist, anti-Christ