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Morpheme
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(linguistics) the smallest meaningful unit of a language that does not necessarily stand alone and cannot be divided
What is a "morpheme"?
A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit of language that contributes to the meaning of a word. Morphemes can be classified into two main types: free morphemes, which can stand alone as words, such as "book" or "run", and bound morphemes, which cannot stand alone and must be attached to a base word, such as prefixes or suffixes like "un-" in "unhappy" or "-ed" in "walked". Morphemes play a crucial role in word formation and grammar, as they help convey specific meanings and grammatical functions, allowing for the construction of complex words and expressions in a language.
Example
In linguistics, a morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning or grammatical function in a language.
The study of morphemes, known as morphology, examines how these units combine to create complex words.
Understanding morphemes helps linguists analyze how words are formed and how they convey meaning.
