Alternative spelling of hand-held
"The store sells both handheld and hand-held flashlights, though they are spelled differently on the packaging."
In plain English: A handheld is something small enough to hold and use with just your hands.
"The handheld in his hand was too heavy to hold for long."
Usage: When used as a noun to describe a portable electronic device like a phone or camera, write it as one word (e.g., a handheld). Do not use the hyphenated version unless you are specifically referring to something held by hand in a general sense.
Alternative spelling of hand-held
"She asked if she could borrow your handheld vacuum to clean up the spilled flour."
In plain English: Handheld means something you can hold and use with your hands, like a phone or a game console.
"The handheld device made it easy to take photos while walking around the park."
Usage: Use "handheld" without a hyphen when describing an object designed to be operated by holding it in one or both hands, such as a handheld device or handheld camera. This form is the standard adjective for portable tools and electronics that are not meant to be fixed or stationary.
Derived from Old English hand (meaning palm) combined with the suffix -held, the term originally described an object held by one's hand rather than mounted or fixed. It entered modern usage in the 20th century to denote portable devices designed for manual operation.