morpheme
Pronunciation
Noun
B2 Upper-intermediate
Quick answer
The smallest unit of language that carries its own meaning, whether it can stand alone as a word or not.
Usage notes
Different from a phoneme, which is a unit of sound rather than a unit of meaning.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "The word 'unhappiness' contains three _____: 'un', 'happy', and 'ness'."
Answer: morpheme
In your own words, what does "morpheme" mean?
The smallest unit of language that carries its own meaning, whether it can stand alone as a word or not.
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