morpheme
/ˈmɔr.fim/
noun
- The smallest unit of meaning in a language, such as a word or a part of a word (like a prefix or suffix).
- In English, the plural morpheme is often spelled '-s' or '-es'.
- A single morpheme can be a whole word like 'cat' or a part like the '-ed' in 'walked'.
- The word 'unhappiness' has three morphemes: 'un-', 'happy', and '-ness'.