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Web-Site

Going over my C.V., I get a creepy feeling about my spelling of “web-site”. Google gives only 7.46 million hits for web-site and in fact asks me Did you mean: website? (66.2 million hits!).

But spelling matters aren’t really something you should settle with a popularity contest. The online dictionary suggests web-site or Web site, but actually offers a “usage note” which seems more like an apology for recommending the less common form.

So I go back to Google and look up the site of that copy editor with strong opinions Bartov enjoys reading. This person turns out to be Bill Walsh from the Washington Post, and on his site,
The Slot, he’s perfectly clear what he thinks you should use:

With dictionaries and other mainstream publications tripping over their feet to use “website” and “email” in an attempt to look like Techie McTech to their readers, I find it deliciously amusing that the excellent PC Magazine, of all publications, continues to stick with “Web site” and “e-mail.” I guess that’s the difference between being secure in your knowledge of the subject matter and being a big, fat poseur wanna-be.