Size vs Sized for Writers & Authors

To all my grammar-nerd writing buddies because I've been confused on this: SIZE vs. SIZED.

It is most important to make a guideline and stick to it. Don't use “fullsize car” in one paragraph and “full-sized car” in the next.

HYPHENS:

Hyphens are squishy and hard to pin down.

– Generally, you CAN use a hyphen if using a full noun before size/sized, which makes it a hyphenated compound word. You can also leave out the hyphen and make it a non-hyphenated compound word. This can get odd-looking, so be careful about omitting.

– Generally, do NOT use a hyphen if using a prefix before size/sized, like “mid.”

SIZE vs. SIZED:

SIZE:

If you are comparing two things that have no direct relationship as a metaphor = -size

• brick-size bomb
• plate-size disk
• teacup-size serving
• cat-size dog
• football field-size bed
• midsize car (often NOT hyphenated because mid- is a prefix)
• supersize fries (hyphen can go either way on this one because super is both an adj and a prefix)

SIZED:

If you are saying that something was purposefully manufactured/made to be an standardized size = -sized

• catering-sized coffee maker
• compact-sized car
• king-sized bed
• cat-sized breed of dogs (squishy one that could go either way)