Words / Use & spelling / 2015 to today
IHRA asks for “antisemitism” without a hyphen
April 2015Began between 1 Apr 2015 and 30 Apr 2015.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial took up the spelling in April 2015 and recommended the unhyphenated form, arguing that a hyphen suggests there is such a thing as “Semitism”.
Everything here traces back to a single original source. A second, independent source would strengthen this event.
What the sources say
Dates itThe memo says the IHRA committee addressed the spelling in April 2015.
In April 2015, the IHRA's Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial addressed the issue of how to spell antisemitism.Added on 12 Nov 2026Debunk this
The memo says the hyphenated spelling allows for the possibility of something called “Semitism”.
The IHRA's concern is that the hyphenated spelling allows for the possibility of something called "Semitism,"Added on 12 Nov 2026Debunk this
The memo argues the word should be read as one term for modern Jew-hatred.
Antisemitism should be read as a unified term so that the meaning of the generic term for modern Jew-hatred is clear.Added on 12 Nov 2026Debunk this
Connected events
- This came before The AP Stylebook drops the hyphen (April 2021)
The Jerusalem Post's report on the AP change quotes the IHRA's argument against the hyphen.
Posts about this event
No posts yet. Write what you know about it, what it led to, or how it is told.
Contribute
Sign in or create an account to add sources, flag disagreements or open a debate.