fill-in-the-blank
UK[ˌfɪl ɪn ðə ˈblæŋk]US[ˌfɪl ɪn ðə ˈblæŋk]
adj
Denoting or relating to a question or exercise in which a word or phrase is omitted and must be supplied.
n
A blank space in a sentence, form, or test to be filled with the correct word or information.
Etymology
The term is a 20th-century Americanism, originating from the instructional language of standardized tests and educational worksheets. It is a lexicalized reduction of the imperative clause "fill in the blank," where 'blank' refers to the empty space (a line or dash) left in a sentence. The word 'blank' itself entered English from Old French 'blanc' (white, shining), ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root. The entire compound fossilized into a single conceptual unit, first as an adjective describing such test items and later as a noun for the blank space itself. Its logic is entirely transparent, directly mirroring the action required of the test-taker.
Analysis
This is a fixed phrasal compound. It is not productively formed from separable, current-English morphemes in a way that allows for a standard 2-3 part segmentation of the single lexical item. Its meaning is idiomatic and derived from the full phrase.
Examples
The exam consisted of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions.
Please write the correct verb tense in the fill-in-the-blank.
She used a fill-in-the-blank worksheet to practice vocabulary.