noun
morpheme
MOR-feem
Morpheme (noun) means the smallest unit within a word that carries meaning. Example: “The word "unhappy" contains two morphemes, "un-" and "happy".”
noun
1
technical The smallest unit within a word that carries meaning.
"The word "unhappy" contains two morphemes, "un-" and "happy"."
"Linguists break complex words down into their morphemes to see how they are built."
"The plural ending -s is a morpheme, even though it is only a single letter."
How to use morpheme
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe smallest piece of a word that still means something.
When to use it
It is a technical term used mainly in linguistics.
Memory tip
A morpheme is not the same as a syllable, because a morpheme is defined by meaning rather than by sound.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
free morpheme
bound morpheme
grammatical morpheme
plural morpheme
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The word "unhappy" contains two _____, "un-" and "happy".
Etymology
The word came into English from French morphème, which goes back to the Ancient Greek word morphḗ, meaning shape or form. It can be analysed as morph plus the suffix -eme.
Rhymes for morpheme
See all rhymes for morpheme →Frequently asked questions
What is a morpheme?
A morpheme is the smallest part of a word that has a meaning of its own, such as un-, happy or the plural -s. Some words are a single morpheme and others are built from several.
What is the plural of morpheme?
The plural is morphemes.
Where does the word morpheme come from?
It comes from French morphème, which ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek word for shape or form.
What is the meaning of morpheme?
"morpheme" (noun) means the smallest unit within a word that carries meaning.
