Is the word "submillimeter" an adjective?

Question

Is this sentence correct? It sounds weird:

The accuracy is sub-millimeter.

Is it OK to use "submillimeter" without the "-"?

The OP is right; his sentence does sound weird. I would say: "The spot was located to sub-millimeter accuracy." (As for the hyphen, I don't know.) — user21508, Jul 19, 2015 at 17:45

Dog Lover · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-19 08:43:16Z

4

Yes, it is indeed an adjective.

This is the definition given by Dictionary.com:

submillimeter adjective

less than a millimeter in size

(Spelt "submillimetre" in Australia and the UK)

Judging by a quick Google search, "submillimeter" should not be spelt with a hyphen.

answered Jul 19, 2015 at 8:43

Dog Lover

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AdamV · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-02 11:10:39Z

1

I think in general usage no hyphen is required. But in some contexts, the hyphen might draw attention to the small scale and emphasise it.

"With a microscope you can easily see the sub-millimeter scales of a butterfly's wing"

answered Dec 2, 2015 at 11:10

AdamV

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