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**freep** · 14th March 16, 04:47 PM

Does "anal retentive" have a hyphen?

**Father Bill** · 14th March 16, 06:02 PM

Most likely. Hope you're not applying it to any of us. Me?

**Couper** · 14th March 16, 06:15 PM

Hmmmm...the type of question pondered by one who exhibits that quality?

More seriously, I believe is determined by how the term is being used as a part of speech. The adjective form usually is seen with a hyphen; e.g., ...the obsessive, anal-retentive politician. Whereas an objective noun (predicate noun?) is usually not hyphenated; e.g, ...that politician is quite anal retentive.

The term anal glaucoma, however, is never hyphenated. (I realize that was not questioned - I just use the term more often than anal retentive.)