Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

agglutination

noun

/əˌɡluːtɪˈneɪʃən/

Definition

Agglutination is the process by which words are formed through the combination of smaller units, often using affixes and roots.

Examples

The Turkish language is known for its agglutination, using multiple suffixes to form complex words.
Agglutination can be observed in languages like Finnish and Japanese, where root words take on various affixes.
Studying agglutination can help linguists understand the structure of different languages.

Meaning

In linguistics, agglutination refers to a morphological process where words are constructed by stringing together morphemes, which are the smallest units of meaning. Each morpheme usually represents a single grammatical function or meaning.