Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
morpheme
Noun
/ˈmɔːr.fiːm/
Definition
The smallest meaningful unit of language.
Examples
- In the word ‘unhappiness’, there are three morphemes: ‘un-‘, ‘happy’, and ‘-ness’.
- The word ‘cats’ contains two morphemes: ‘cat’ and ‘s’.
- Understanding morphemes can help in dissecting complex words into simpler components.
Meaning
Morphemes are the building blocks of words, consisting of roots, prefixes, and suffixes that convey semantic meaning.
Synonyms
- Lexeme
- Unit of meaning
- Root
