What is a morpheme?

A morpheme is defined as the smallest meaningful unit of language. This means that even if a morpheme can stand alone as a word (like "cat" or "book"), it can also exist only as part of a word (like the "un-" in "undo" or the "-ed" in "walked"). This definition emphasizes the significance of meaning in language construction, where morphemes contribute to the overall understanding of words and their functions in sentences.

Morphemes can be classified into free morphemes, which can stand independently, and bound morphemes, which cannot stand alone and must attach to other morphemes. Understanding morphemes is essential for analyzing word formation, syntax, and vocabulary development in language learning and literacy education.