morphology

/mɔrˈfɑlədʒi/
noun
  1. The study of the form and structure of words in a language, including how words are formed from smaller parts like roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
    • In linguistics class, we learned about morphology by breaking down the word 'unhappiness' into 'un-', 'happy', and '-ness'.
    • The morphology of English includes many prefixes borrowed from Latin and Greek.
    • Understanding morphology helps you figure out the meaning of new words by looking at their parts.
  2. The form and structure of something, especially in biology, referring to the shape and arrangement of parts of an organism.
    • Scientists study leaf morphology to identify different plant species.
    • The morphology of the human hand allows for a wide range of movements.
    • The morphology of a bird's beak is closely related to its diet.
  3. The shape or structure of something non-living, such as a landscape or a material.
    • The morphology of the desert includes sand dunes and rocky plateaus.
    • The river's morphology changes over time due to erosion and sediment deposits.
    • Engineers analyzed the morphology of the metal surface to find cracks.
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