My question is a little broader than the title and applies to a term which is described by more than one «word». Is the term (in this case «ice cream») one word, or two?
Based on my research, the three dictionaries that I consulted, Merriam-Webster (MW), MacMillian (MM), and the Oxford Dictionary (OX) all seem to provide some leeway in expressing exactly what a word is and if it must be delimited by spaces and/or punctuation. See definitions below:
MW(b)(2): «any segment of written or printed discourse
ordinarily appearing between spaces or between a space and a punctuation mark»OX 1a: «single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing,
used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and
typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed»MM 1: «[countable] a single unit of written or spoken language»
MW and OX use words like typically and ordinarily indicating that there is the possibility for multi-word words, but don’t exactly provide sample sentences with any. Even MM doesn’t quite spell out what comprises a single unit. However, I would argue that «ice cream» independently, that is, taken as two separate words, is two units of language, rather than one.
Even in looking up compound word examples, these are delimited by a space on either side, that is, condensed into one clear-cut word by means of placement (such as backstab) or they use a hyphen (such as white-collar).
With this predicament in mind and as a yes or no question (providing justification), is «ice cream» as is, no hyphen and not stuck together as «icecream» or «ice-cream», one word, or two?
Is Ice Cream considered one word or two?
It may appear to have two words, but those two words, spoken separately, would have different meanings, so that particular word needs to be spoken in one breath to convey a particular meaning. So ‘ice cream’ is a one word.
Which is correct ice cream or ice cream?
Usually in referring to the dessert itself one would use “ice cream.” However, if you are using it as an adjective it would include a hyphen as in “ice-cream chair” or “ice-cream cone.” However, hyphens are going out of style so you’ll probably see those phrases without hyphens as well.
Do we say ice creams?
If you are using ice cream to refer to the individual portions, rather than the material, then they are countable things. Perhaps there are regional variations, but on the west coast of the US, ice creams would be the typical usage.
What defines ice cream?
Ice cream (derived from earlier cream ice) is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from dairy milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as strawberries or peaches.
Can we use an with ice cream?
When the word begins with a consonant you should use ‘a’. With words such as ‘umbrella’, ‘ice cream’ and ‘apple’ you have to use “an umbrella”, “an ice cream” and “an apple”.
Do we eat or drink ice cream?
As long as the icecream is still frozen and you have to scoop it, you eat it. From the moment it’s pure liquid it’s still eaten when spooned up but by then you could also drink it through a straw.
How long is 24hrs?
Convert 24 Hours to Days
| hr | d |
|---|---|
| 24.00 | 1 |
| 24.01 | 1.0004 |
| 24.02 | 1.0008 |
| 24.03 | 1.0013 |
Is a day actually 24 hours?
On Earth, a solar day is around 24 hours. However, Earth’s orbit is elliptical, meaning it’s not a perfect circle. That means some solar days on Earth are a few minutes longer than 24 hours and some are a few minutes shorter. On Earth, a sidereal day is almost exactly 23 hours and 56 minutes.
How many minutes are in one hour?
60 minutes
What is the number of 1 hour?
1 Hour = 60 minutes. Example: The amount of time between 5:00 and 6:00 is one hour.
How many are there in an hour?
Which is the same to say that 1 hour is 60 minutes.
How many minutes are in 3 hours?
180 minutes
What is .8 of an hour?
Billing Increment Chart—Minutes to Tenths of an Hour
| Minutes | Time |
|---|---|
| 31-36 | .6 |
| 37-42 | .7 |
| 43-48 | .8 |
| 49-54 | .9 |
What is 0.5 of an hour?
How many Minutes is 0.5 Hours?
| Hours | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 30 |
| 0.6 | 36 |
| 0.7 | 42 |
| 0.8 | 48 |
What is 0.1 of an hour?
0.1 Hours in Common Units of Time
| 0.1 Hours | in | Units of Time |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1 hr | = | 360,000 Milliseconds (ms) |
| 0.1 hr | = | 360 Seconds (s) |
| 0.1 hr | = | 6 Minutes (min) |
| 0.1 hr | = | 0.1 Hours (hr) |
What is 0.2 of an hour?
Minutes to Hours Conversion Table
| Minutes | Hours |
|---|---|
| 12 Minutes | 0.2 Hours |
| 13 Minutes | 0.216667 Hours |
| 14 Minutes | 0.233333 Hours |
| 15 Minutes | 0.25 Hours |
What is 0.6 of an hour?
How many Minutes is 0.6 Hours?
| Hours | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 0.6 | 36 |
| 0.7 | 42 |
| 0.8 | 48 |
| 0.9 | 54 |
Table of Contents
- Why is ice cream Not one word?
- Is icecream a compound word?
- What type of word is ice cream?
- Should ice cream have a hyphen?
- How do you spell queen?
- Can a term be one word?
- Can a term be 2 words?
- What is Term example?
- What is the difference between a term and a word?
- What is another word for and?
- What is the general function of a word?
- What makes a word a term?
- What is it called when someone makes up words?
- What is the word for making up words?
- What is the shortest word in English?
It’s “an ice cream”, spelt as separate words – “icecream” is not a word. The correct indefinite article is “an”, since “ice” starts with a vowel sound.
Is icecream a compound word?
One example is a compound adjective. However, ice cream is a compound noun because ice is not an adjective describing cream. The two words work together to create a single noun.
What type of word is ice cream?
noun. a frozen food containing cream or milk and butterfat, sugar, flavoring, and sometimes eggs.
Should ice cream have a hyphen?
Usually in referring to the dessert itself one would use “ice cream.” However, if you are using it as an adjective it would include a hyphen as in “ice-cream chair” or “ice-cream cone.” However, hyphens are going out of style so you’ll probably see those phrases without hyphens as well.
How do you spell queen?
Correct spelling for the English word “queen” is [kwˈiːn], [kwˈiːn], [k_w_ˈiː_n] (IPA phonetic alphabet).
Can a term be one word?
Terms are types of words: all terms are words or made up of words, but not all words are terms. Specifically, a term is a word that is typically used in a specialized field. For example, ‘sternum’ is the medical term for the bone at the front of the ribcage. This is especially found in medicine and other sciences.
Can a term be 2 words?
A term can be more than one word. A phrase is a group of words that commonly used together to convey meaning.
What is Term example?
Term – Definition with Examples A term can be a constant or a variable or both in an expression. In the expression, 3a + 8, 3a and 8 are terms. Here is another example, in which 5x and 7 are terms that form the expression 5x + 7.
What is the difference between a term and a word?
A term is a word that has meaning (semantics) and most often refers to objects, ideas, events or a state of affair. A term is (in addition to being a word) a point of reference, whereas a word is only a constituent of language. Hence, all terms are words, but only some words can be terms.
What is another word for and?
What is another word for and?
| furthermore | moreover |
|---|---|
| otherwise | over and above |
| in conjunction with | along |
| and all | in the same way |
| besides that | in a similar manner |
What is the general function of a word?
Function words include determiners, conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, modals, qualifiers, and question words. Content words are words with specific meanings, such as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and main verbs (those without helping verbs.)
What makes a word a term?
The definition of a term is a word or group of words that has a special meaning, a specific time period or a condition of a contract. An example of term is “cultural diversity.” An example of term is three months for a college semester.
What is it called when someone makes up words?
A person who makes new words are called neologist.
What is the word for making up words?
neologism
What is the shortest word in English?
Eunoia
We can use “ice cream” as a noun or adjective. It would help to know what the differences between these two forms are before you use them in your writing. So, this article will address whether it’s one or two words (and whether it’s hyphenated).
“Ice cream” is most commonly written as two words. This is because “ice” and “cream” are officially recognized in this form, and it’s the one most people stick to. There are cases where you might hyphenate it, but only when you’re using it as a modifier (i.e. “ice-cream parlor”).
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “ice cream” is by far the most popular choice of the three in this article. You can see from the clear differences in the lines on the graph that the noun form that’s split into two words is your best choice.
Of course, “ice-cream” is the second-most popular choice since it’s the adjective form that we can use when modifying. However, there are no cases where “icecream” should be grouped.
We can refer to The Cambridge Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary to learn more about its spelling. Both dictionaries state that “ice cream” is a noun and should be written as two separate words.
They both also include variations on the spelling in some of their examples when a second noun comes after the phrase. In these examples, the hyphen between “ice-cream” shows how the modification works.
If you’re stumped about the differences between nouns and adjectives, check these examples out:
- Noun: I would love to have some ice cream!
- Adjective: I’m not sure you will go to the ice-cream parlor down the street!
Is “Icecream” One Word?
“Icecream” is never correct as one word. The spelling variation is far too jarring. Even though some people like to group the words, “ice” and “cream” do not work well when written together like this, making it much harder for people to read.
Check these examples out to help you with it:
- Correct: I’d love to go and get some ice cream right now!
- Incorrect: This isn’t the icecream that I ordered!
- Correct: This ice-cream flavor is one of my all-time favorites!
- Incorrect: I don’t know where the icecream van is, and it’s making me sad!
Is “Ice cream” Two Words?
“Ice cream” is two words in almost all cases. We mainly use it in this form as a noun, which applies whenever we’re talking about “ice cream” as a product or food item. Some people also avoid the hyphens when it modifies another noun (i.e. “ice cream parlor”).
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to hyphenating “ice cream.” It all depends on the context.
Here are some examples:
- I’ll take the kids to go and get some ice cream while you keep yourself busy here.
- It’s not ice cream if you’re not enjoying yourself with every bite!
- This ice cream is going to be the death of me! I simply cannot get enough.
- My favorite flavor of ice cream has got to be mint chocolate chip!
Is “Ice-cream” Hyphenated?
Though uncommon, “ice-cream” is acceptable when hyphenated. We write it in this form when it is used to modify another noun in a sentence. “Ice-cream parlor” is a good example of this, where “parlor” is modified to show that “ice cream” is sold there.
The AP Stylebook teaches us all we need to learn about hyphen rules. Hyphens are linkers in AP Style, and we use them whenever more than one word modifies the same noun in a sentence.
Since “ice cream” is two words, a hyphen should be present whenever a noun comes directly after it.
Here are some examples that might help you with it:
- I don’t want to go to the ice-cream store just yet! I haven’t decided what I want.
- The ice-cream man won’t be serving it forever! Make your choice now!
- Let’s go see what the ice-cream van has to offer today.
- I have an ice-cream headache, and I don’t know how to get rid of it!
Is “Cream” Capitalized In The Word “Ice-Cream”?
When hyphenated, you rarely need to capitalize either part of “ice-cream.” It is not a proper noun, so capitalization does not apply.
You might find that when you write it in a title, it is useful to capitalize both parts. “Ice-Cream” works well in a title when every other word is capitalized.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
level 1
· 8 yr. ago
ice cream is two words, potluck is one, turkey bacon is two, and honey ham is two 
2
level 2
Op · 8 yr. ago
Thanks man I said the word ice cream and started to think about it.
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