Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

polysynthetic

adjective

/ˌpɒl.ɪ.sɪnˈθɛt.ɪk/

Definition

Referring to a linguistic structure where complex words are formed by combining multiple morphemes into a single word.

Examples

The Inuktitut language is a classic example of a polysynthetic language.
Polysynthetic structures allow for the expression of intricate ideas in a compact form.
Languages that are polysynthetic often exhibit rich morphology.

Meaning

In polysynthetic languages, a single word may express what would take an entire phrase in English, often combining various grammatical and semantic elements.