Is it stepdad, step-dad, or step dad?

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DeadlyAccurate

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Like the subject line says: stepdad, step-dad, or step dad? Neither dictionary.com nor m-w.com come up with an answer. Word doesn't like stepdad, but I can't tell if that means step-dad is the correct answer, or if it's just one of those cases where two complete words separated by a hyphen doesn't register on the spellchecker.
 

pash

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Stepdad (from stepfather) is fine.

Word doesn't like it because it's colloquial/informal.
 

pash

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Mandy-Jane said:
I agree with pash. But I also think step-dad would be okay too. After all, it is two words joined together.

But it's been around for an awful long time. Such compounds normally lose the hyphen after long-term use, don't they?
 

newmod

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According to Collins you can use both, although they list it with the spelling "stepfather".
 

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On hypenation isn general, this is a style-sheet issue, more often than not; in other words, it's a matter of usage and not one of grammar.

Pick a dictionary and use what it uses; the publisher, if the editor sees fit, will change it if they have a different preference.

Stepdad/step-dad/step dad is not standard usage; I can't even find it in the Blessed American Heritage. Stepfather, however, is.

So I'd suggest just picking one, and being careful to use the same one all the time; standardization in such cases makes editors happy, even if you pick the "wrong" one to standarize on, since it's easily changed.

Stepdad
 
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Declan

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Howdy,

If it was my mother, it would be..."say hello to your new uncle..."

Dec.
 
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