# morpheme

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɔː.fiːm/ · frequency rank #68,459

## Definitions
1. The smallest linguistic unit within a word that can carry a meaning. It may be a letter, a syllable, or otherwise.

## Etymology
From French morphème. Ultimately from Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ, “shape, form”). By surface analysis, morph + -eme.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/morpheme