Join 1,000+ subscribers and sign up for my writing and editing email newsletter for more tips like this. Should you be picky with your “pickup,” “pick up,” and “pick-up” usage? Perhaps. This has nothing to do with what Peter Piper picked nor does it have anything to do with piccolos or Picasso. Call it quaint, nostalgic (here’s looking at you, Pick-up Sticks), or verbose (if punctuation could be considered verbose), but when this “pick-up” form is used, remember it’s always as the noun or adjective form. “Pick-up” can still be found with that hyphen in place, but it isn’t necessary anymore. For example, “electronic mail” became “e-mail.” But as these words become more accepted, the hyphen is generally dropped, as is the case with “email” today. Parents might set their watches to beep at a certain time every day or have a timed message on their computers to suggest that they wrap up at work and leave on time. When words change their forms, hyphenation is often stage one of their transformation. Just talking about possible solutions together can solve the problem. “Pick-up” (hyphenated) is a little glimpse of word evolution in action.You can pick up the package when your pickup truck arrives at your destination. “Pick up” (two words) is the verb form.You can tell your friend the plan for the package pickup, or you could have an impromptu round of pickup basketball. You can ride in your pickup, or you can assemble a pickup band. “Pickup” (one word) is a noun, such as a truck, or an adjective, such as an impromptu round of something.They’re always good to know if you’re in a pickle. But just in case you’re slightly baffled and would rather go find a pick-up game you’d rather be a part of, let’s take a moment to pick through these possibilities. If you’re hoping it’ll be a pick-me-up to be picked up by a pickup, you surely must have a handle on your language.
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