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compound adjectives with -based

Please what is the correct form of adjective derived from "leuco dye": "leuco-dye-based" or "leuco dye-based"? (In UK English.)

Re: compound adjectives with -based

Great question. It's leuco-dye-based. (It's a two-tier compound adjective, but it's just smashed into one adjective with hyphens.)

It's easier when there's a proper noun involved because the capital letters group the first tier:

San Francisco-based company

However, for an adjective like yours, you can't do this. Here's another example:

an iron-monger-style robe



More on compound adjectives.


Re: compound adjectives with -based

What happens in the cases in which I have two compound adjectives in a row having both "-based" as a second element, e.g. family-based and community-based (services).
I have the feeling I should go with "family and community-based"... it just sounds better to me, but can't find any rule to confirm it.

Thanks for your help :)

Re: compound adjectives with -based

"Family and community-based" is fine.

I don't know of a rule, but this kind of coordinated compounding often works with various hyphenated bases:

There are local and nationally-run committees.
It's a mineral and oil-rich country.
These are tax and VAT-free goods.

And it's not restricted to compound adjectives. These hyphenated noun compounds work well too:

Ed is a window and gutter-cleaner.
Kim is a keen cinema and theatre-goer.
It's suitable for both country and town-dwellers.

But multiple compounding of non-hyphenated words does not work well:

*This is a swim and sportswear shop.
*There are black and bluebirds in the area.
*I'm suffering from back and toothache.


PaulM

Re: compound adjectives with -based

For the APA style guide, at least, you don't hyphenate compound adjectives if one ends in -ly. I.e., nationally-run would just be nationally run.