# clitic

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈklɪtɪk/

## Definitions
1. A morpheme that functions like a word, but never appears as an independent word, instead being always attached to a following or preceding word (or, in some cases, within a surrounding word).

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek κλιτικός (klitikós, “inflexional”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/clitic