I don't think that the term is meant to be the final word in linguistics, only a label. The hyphen indicates that the words are not stand alone in the term, cf. Grape-Nuts. No grapes, no nuts.

Let's be real, Ford never sold a real horse to anybody, but, they do call these metal machines 'Mustangs". In fact, they're the very antithesis of horses, they being 'horseless carriages'.

I don't think that the term is meant to be the final word in linguistics, only a label. Let's be real, Ford never sold a real horse to anybody, but, they do call these metal machines 'Mustangs". In fact, they're the very antithesis of horses, they being 'horseless carriages'.

I don't think that the term is meant to be the final word in linguistics, only a label.