morpheme

noun

Definition of morphemenext
as in monosyllable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of morpheme Important, too, was the morpheme a-, which referred to the mouth and, more broadly, to origins. — Anvita Abbi, Scientific American, 16 May 2023 Those words are made up of morphemes, small elements that change their meaning depending on how they are combined. — Ian Austen, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023 Each of the, say, two hundred and fifty passengers on each flight hanging unwittingly on each morpheme. — Gregory Pardlo, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for morpheme
  1. monosyllable
  2. term
  3. expression
  4. linguistic form
Noun
  • Hearing this jab of monosyllables is like being poked in the eye.
    — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2023
  • But where the two Stegosaurus brothers speak in Jurassic monosyllables, Stegothesaurus has the gift of a bountiful vocabulary.
    — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 22 June 2018
Definition of monosyllable
Noun
  • The terms remain subject to negotiations, and no final agreement has been announced.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • His vice president, Kamala Harris, stepped in as the Democratic nominee but lost to Trump in November, giving him a second, nonconsecutive term.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of term
Noun
  • The researchers scanned the brains of eight dogs — six border collies, a labrador and a golden retriever — while showing them images of strangers with either a happy or a neutral expression.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • When Robert offers to help, Thom’s expression is curiously muted.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of expression
Noun
  • And comparing more recent historic forms of English and Sranan to get at centuries-old linguistic forms isn’t ironclad, Creanza pointed out.
    — Cathleen O'Grady, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2018
Definition of linguistic form

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morphed
morpheme
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Cite this Entry

“Morpheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/morpheme. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on morpheme

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about morpheme

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