1.
LEXEME
A lexeme is the base form of a word.
Example: run, runs, running, ran → all are forms of the lexeme
“run.”
Think of it as the dictionary form of the word.
2. MORPHEME
A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a word.
Example: “dogs” has two morphemes → dog (animal) + -s (plural)
Not always a word, but always carries meaning.
3. LEXICAL MORPHEME (also called Content Word or NAVA)
These morphemes carry main meaning in a sentence.
NAVA = Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs
Examples: teacher, happy, run, quickly
4. GRAMMATICAL MORPHEME (also called Functional Morpheme)
Words has no sense without conjunction, article, proposition
These give structure or grammar meaning.
Examples: and, the, is, -s, -ed
5. FREE MORPHEME
A morpheme that can stand alone as a word.
Example: book, walk, kind
6. BOUND MORPHEME
A morpheme that cannot stand alone; needs to attach to another word.
Examples: -s, -ing, un-, -ed
7. INFLECTIONAL MORPHEME
A word that has suffixes
A bound morpheme that shows grammar change (tense, number, etc.)
but doesn’t change word meaning or class.
Examples:-s (plural: cats),-ed (past: walked),-ing (present participle:
walking),-’s (possessive: boy’s)
Examples by Word Type:
Noun → books, student’s
Modifier (adjective/adverb) → taller, fastest
Verb → walks, played, walking
8. DERIVATIONAL MORPHEME
A bound morpheme that changes the meaning or word class.
Examples: Happy → unhappy (added “un-”), Teach → teacher (verb to
noun)
9. EMPTY MORPHEME
A morpheme that is present in form but has no clear meaning.
Example: “cran” in “cranberry” has no meaning by itself, but it’s part
of the word.
Word Formation Processes
Ways to create new words:
1. Category Change (Conversion)
Changing word type without adding anything.
Example: Google (noun) → I google it (verb)
2. Derivation
Adding a morpheme to make a new word.
Example: care → careless, careful
3. Backformation
Removing a part of a word to form a new (usually simpler) one.
Example: editor → edit, burglar → burgle
4. Clip form
Shortening a word by removing parts.
Example: _advertisement_ → _ad_, _telephone_ → _phone_
5. Compounding
Combining two or more words to form a new word.
Example: _sun_ + _flower_ → _sunflower_ (Closed form:
_toothbrush_, Open form: _post office_)
6. *Hyphenated
Combining words with a hyphen.
Example: _self-portrait_, _well-being_
7. *Blending
Merging parts of two words to create a new one.
Example: _smoke_ + _fog_ → _smog_, _breakfast_ + _lunch_ →
_brunch_
8. *Root creation
Inventing entirely new words (often for branding or technology).
Example: _Kodak_ (brand name), _Google_ (company/verb)
9. *Proper noun to common noun (not “Thoper”)*
: Using a brand name as a common noun.
Example: _Xerox_ (for photocopying), _Kleenex_ (for tissues)
10. *Folk Etymology
Changing a word’s form or meaning based on mistaken
assumptions.
Example: _sparrowgrass_ (for _asparagus_, due to its
resemblance to grass)
