morpheme
[ mawr-feem ]
/ ˈmɔr fim /
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noun Linguistics.
any of the minimal grammatical units of a language, each constituting a word or meaningful part of a word, that cannot be divided into smaller independent grammatical parts, as the, write, or the -ed of waited.Compare allomorph (def. 2), morph (def. 1).
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
OTHER WORDS FROM morpheme
mor·phe·mic, adjectivemor·phe·mi·cal·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
British Dictionary definitions for morpheme
morpheme
/ (ˈmɔːfiːm) /
noun
linguistics a speech element having a meaning or grammatical function that cannot be subdivided into further such elements
Derived forms of morpheme
morphemic, adjectivemorphemically, adverbWord Origin for morpheme
C20: from French, from Greek morphē form, coined on the model of phoneme; see -eme
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