Ad Hoc vs. Adhoc
The established English expression is “ad hoc,” written as two words. Cambridge records it for something created or arranged for a particular purpose or immediate need; this guide does not merge it into the closed form “adhoc.”
Use “ad hoc” as two words: “an ad hoc committee” or “we handled the request ad hoc.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Form | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| ad hoc | ordinary English expression | Use as two words for something arranged for a particular purpose or immediate need. |
| adhoc | brand/identifier/technical token in some contexts | Do not substitute it for the dictionary expression unless reproducing an official token or name. |
Quick tests
Spacing test
Are you writing the ordinary English expression rather than an official identifier or product token?
If yes: Write “ad hoc” as two words.
If no: Preserve the official spelling only when accuracy to the identifier or name requires it.
Caveat: A technical token does not change the ordinary English spelling.
Examples
The committee was formed on an ad hoc basis.
The expression is written as two words.
We created an adhoc committee for the review.
Better: We created an ad hoc committee for the review.
In ordinary prose, the established expression is “ad hoc.”
Further guidance
Boundary
Do not create a universal closed-form rule from brand names, identifiers, or technical tokens that happen to use “adhoc.”
Form
Cambridge lists “ad hoc” as the dictionary form.
Use
It can modify a noun and is also recorded adverbially in American English.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Ad hoc — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Dictionary form, meaning, and adjective/adverb use